, called also Quercetanus, lord of La Violette, and physician to the
, called also Quercetanus, lord
of La Violette, and physician to the French king, was born
at Armagnac, about the middle of the sixteenth century.
After having passed a considerable time in Germany, and
being admitted to the degree of M. D. at Basle, 1573,
he practised his art in Paris, and was made physician to
Henry IV. He had made great progress in the study of
chemistry, to which he was particularly devoted. The
success that attended his practice in this science, excited
the spleen of the rest of the physicians, and especially
that of Guy Patin, who was continually venting sarcasms
and satires against him, but experience has since shewn
that Du Chesne was better acquainted with the properties
of antimony than Patin and his colleagues. This learned
chemist, who is called Du Quesne by Moreri, died at Paris,
at a very advanced age, in 1609. He wrote in French
verse, “The Folly of the World,
” The
great Mirror of the World,
” Pharmacopoeia Dogmaticorum restituta, pretiosis, selectisque Hermeticorum Floribus illustrata,
” Giesse Hess.