Lamotte, William

, an eminent French surgeon and accouc-heur, was of Valogne, in Normandy. He studied his profession at Paris, where he attended the practice of the celebrated hospital, l’Hotel-Dieu, during five years. He was distinguished particularly by his skill and success as an accoucheur, not only at his native town, but throughout the neighbouring country, during a long period. No dates are given of his birth or death, but he is said to have left three sons, two of whom were physicians, and the third succeeded him in his own department. His first publication, entitled “Traite des accouchemens naturels, non naturels, et contre nature,” was first published in 1715. It went through many editions, and was translated into several languages; and was generally deemed the best treatise of the time, after that of Mauriceau, which Lamotte censured. It contained an account of four hundred cases, with judicious practical reflections, the result of thirty years’ practice. His next publication was a “Dissertation sur la Generation, et sur la Superfetation;” containing also an answer to a book entitled “De l‘lndecence aux Homines d’accoucher les Femines, et sur l’Obligations aux Meres de nourrir leurs Enfans,” Paris, 1718. He denied the occurrence of superfcetation, and combated the opinions of the ovarists, and the doctrine of animalcules: and in his reply to Hecquet, he relates a number of untoward accidents, occasioned by the ignorance of midwives. In 1722 he published “Trait complet de Chirurgie, conteiiant des Observations sur toutes Jes Maladies chirurgicales, et sur la maniere de les traiter,” which has been several times reprinted. The last edition was published in 1771, with notes by professor Sabatier. This was a valuable practical work, but disfigured by the | egotism of the author, and his contempt for his professional brethren. ¹