Médecins, libertins et pasquins

In this book Professor Florkin has brought together some of his essays on the medical past of Liege. The period is the eighteenth century and the story is one of internecine strife within the profession exacerbated by continuous assaults upon it from quack and layman. The author's research was made mainly in local archives and dialect literature, and if any criticism can be made against him it is that his predilection for facsimiles has broken up an essentially interesting narrative. On the other hand the dialect literature through which the story unfolds is always accompanied by versions in modem French. The main character is Michel-Procope Couteau, son of a famous Parisian caf& owner, doctor, theatre-lover, and satirical writer. One of his best known works is Art de faire des gar_ons. He had the good fortune also to be pilloried in Lesage's novel Gil Blas; such fame, when it comes, is to be treasured. Until M. Florkin's burrowings in local sources we knew no more of the period 1729-33 in Procope's life than that he had been domiciled in Belgium. This book now relates the quarrels in which he was involved, whilst at Liege, with the Baron de Walef and a quack named Delille. The second problem which M. Florkin poses and leaves unsolved, viz. what happened to Procope in London between 1713 and 1725, is one which intrigues the British reader even more. We do know from a letter transcribed in these pages that he 'studied anew under the illustrious doctors who were not too proud to consult with me'. This well-produced Festschrift in honour of the 800th anniversary of the city of Leipzig is divided according to branches of learning. Volume I gives biographies and appraisals of scholars in the humanities, including legal history, and Volume II does the same for the sciences. Starting with Camerarius in the sixteenth century, they are arranged chronologically up to the present day. The 35-page introduction which curiously places Prague and Vienna in Eastern Europe, does not tell us that Leipzig University was founded in 1408 though giving some details on the circumstances of the exodus of students and professors from Prague University to found that of Leipzig. It is mainly concerned with the influence of the city of Leipzig on the University and vice versa. Each scholar merits an article, including a portrait, written by a present-day specialist in his field. The …