Toward the end of his life Barthez suffered a great deal from bladder trouble, which proved eventually to be dependent upon the presence of a calculus. Instead of submitting at this time to a surgical operation, the only measure that offered him any chance of permanent relief, he put his faith in the use of lithontriptics; and then, when these proved to be impotent to give him relief, he expressed his willingness to submit to an operation. But by that time his general condition had become so unfavorable that it was not considered safe to operate. His death occurred on October 15, 1806, after he had passed through several weeks of very great suffering.
In order that one may form a correct estimate of Barthez’ professional career it is necessary that certain facts should be borne in mind. In the first place, he was endowed with a prodigious memory, a remarkable capacity for grasping facts, unlimited patience in studying their different aspects, great ability in ascertaining their relations to one another, and wonderful facility in following out the connections between abstract ideas. Then, in addition, his acquaintance with both ancient and modern languages made it easy for him to familiarize himself with the sayings of the philosophers and scientific men of all times and countries.
The “Court of Honor” of the Faculté de Médecine at Montpellier, France.
(Courtesy of Monsieur le Pasteur Paul Barnaud, of Sainte Foy la Grande [Gironde], France.)
In 1785, after the death of Imbert, who at that time occupied the important position of Chancellor of the University of Montpellier, the highest medical office in the southern half of France, Barthez was chosen his successor.
Were it not for the difficulty presented by the lack of space I should be glad to add here, by way of example, a reproduction, in English, of one of Barthez’ “Consultations,” some of which are most instructive, and which furnish at the same time an excellent picture of the manner of procedure followed by this celebrated French diagnostician and teacher of the science and art of medicine. Merely to furnish a résumé of one of these chapters would not serve a sufficiently useful purpose, and I must therefore abstain from making any attempt whatever to supply the desired portrayal. To those, however, who are interested more particularly in the subject of syphilis I will venture to suggest the perusal of Consultation XXXVI. (pp. 381–396), in which Barthez gives a very complete report of the infection, with that disease, of an entire family (father, mother and several children). This report is well worth reading. In addition to the “Consultations de Médecine,” which was published in 1820 by Lordat, Barthez wrote the following treatises:—
“Nouveaux Eléments de la Science de l’Homme,” Montpellier, 1778 (1 vol.); Paris, 1806 (2 vols.); “Traité des Maladies Goutteuses,” Paris, 1802 (2 vols.); “Nouvelle Mécanique des Mouvements de l’Homme et des Animaux,” Carcassonne, 1798; “Discours sur le Génie d’Hippocrate,” Montpellier, 1801.[[23]]
CHAPTER XX
EARLY STUDIES OF THE DISEASE NOW UNIVERSALLY CALLED TYPHOID FEVER