author
François Chicoyneau
1672–1752
A leading French physician of the Enlightenment, he rose from Montpellier’s medical world to become First Physician to Louis XV. He is especially remembered for his role in investigating the Great Plague of Marseille and for his long influence on medical life in Montpellier.
1 Audiobook
A Succinct Account of the Plague at Marseilles Its Symptoms and the Methods and Medicines Used for Curing It
by François Chicoyneau, Monsieur Soulier, active 1720-1721 Monsieur Verny
About the author
Born in Montpellier on April 23, 1672, François Chicoyneau became one of the best-known French doctors of his time. He studied medicine in Montpellier and built a career that tied him closely to the city’s university, where he served as professor of anatomy and botany and later as chancellor.
His reputation carried him to court service. Chicoyneau became physician to the royal children and then First Physician to King Louis XV, a post he held from 1732 until his death in 1752. He was also connected with major learned institutions, including the royal academies of sciences in Montpellier and Paris.
He is often noted today for his involvement during the Great Plague of Marseille, which he investigated and wrote about. That mix of university medicine, royal service, and public health work makes him a vivid figure in the history of French medicine.