Petit, Francis Pourfour Du

, a learned physician, was born June 24, 1664, at Paris. He attended the hospitals of the army, but settled at Paris after the peace of Utrecht in 1513; was admitted into the academy of sciences in 1722, and acquired great reputation, particularly by his skill in disorders of the eyes. M. Petit invented an Ophthalmometer for measuring the parts of the eye, and several other instruments to direct the hand in its operations upon that delicate organ. He died at Paris June 18, 1741, aged 77. His works, which are written in rather a careless style, are, “Trois Lettres d’un Medecin | des Hospitaux du Roi a un autre Medecin de ses amis, sur un Nouveau Systeme du Cerveau,” Namur, 1710, 4to. “Dissertation sur une Nouvelle Methode de faire l’Operation de la Cataracte,” Par. 1727, 12mo. “Lettre dans laquelle il est démontré que la Crystailin est fort pres de l‘Uvee, et ou Ton rapporte de nouvelles preuves de i’Operation de la Cataracte,” 1729, 4to. “Lettres contenant des Reflexions sur ce que M. Hecquet, M. D. a fait imprimer touchant les Maladies des Yeux,” 1729, 4to. “Lettres contenant des Reflexions sur les Decouvertes faites sur les Yeux,” 1732, 4to. ¹