Antoine Petit

Antoine Petit, born in Orléans, was the son of a tailor. He received a disciplined education and, after studying at the Orléans college, he took up the study of medicine at the University of Paris where he received his doctorate in 1746.[1]

Soon he became a good teacher and lecturer in anatomy, surgery and childbirth.[2]

The accuracy of his diagnosis made him famous and he had a very busy practice, drawing people from every part of France, even from other parts of Europe.[3]

He was appointed anatomy professor at Jardin du Roi from 1769 to 1778. In the University of Paris, he founded a chair of anatomy[4] then a chair of surgery. The professors, engaged and appointed by the University, had to teach for ten years then made way for younger. He was a member of French Academy of Sciences and wrote several articles for the Diderot and d'Alembert Encyclopédie.[5]

Antoine Petit amassed a significant wealth then, because he had no child, spent a part to found places that accord medical treatment. He spent more than 100,000 French livres to Orléans city: he appointed four physicians and two surgeons for free health care for sick people and those in every kind of need, in a house he built in this purpose.[1] On market days, they took care of those from the country.

In the same way, he appointed two lawyers and a prosecutor who involved towards the poor.[6]

In Fontenay-aux-Roses, he donated a building to house the municipality medical officer.

He died in Olivet, on 1794.

• Jan Palfijn (1753). Anatomie chirurgicale de Palfin, revue et augmentée par A. Petit. chez la veuve Cavelier. pp. 599–. Retrieved 20 April 2013. Paris. 2 vol. in-12
• Antoine Petit (1757). Discours sur l'utilité de la chirurgie. Paris. in-4°
• Antoine Petit (1765). Projet de réforme sur l'exercice de la médecine en France. Paris. in-4°
• Antoine Petit (1765). Consultation en faveur de la légitimité des naissances tardives. Paris. in-8°
• Antoine Petit (1766). Recueil des pièces relatives a la question des naissances tardives. chez D'Houry. Retrieved 20 April 2013. 2 vol. in-8°
• Antoine Petit (1766). Premier rapport en faveur de l'inoculation. chez Dessain junior. Retrieved 20 April 2013. Paris. in-8°
• Antoine Petit (1767). Lettre de M. A. Petit à M. le Doyen de la Faculté de Médecine sur quelques faits relatifs à la pratique de l'inoculation. chez Vallat-la-Chapelle. Retrieved 20 April 2013. Paris. in-8°
• Antoine Petit (1798). Traité des maladies des femmes enceintes, des femmes en couche et des enfants nouveaux-nés. pp. 237–. Retrieved 20 April 2013. Paris. 2 vol. in-8°

• A street bears his name in Fontenay-aux-Roses.

• "Discours prononcé aux écoles de médecine pour l'ouverture solemnelle du cours de chirurgie le dimanche 27me novembre 1757" (pdf) (in French). 1757. Retrieved 20 April 2013.