[Eulogy for Pierre Chirac by Fontenelle]

Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle (1657-1757) in the "Eloges des Academiciens des Sciences" who died between 1699 and 1740, allowed to Pierre Chirac - Louis XV Chief Doctor - a worthy scientific place. Born at Conques, in the Rouergue country (Aveyron), in 1650, Chirac purposed to enter the priesthood when, settling in Montpellier, he was spotted by the Chancellor and Judge of Montpellier University, Michel Chicoyneau, in 1678, who encouraged him to take up medicine studies. Became a Montpellier Faculty member in 1682, Chirac will teach, here, medicine, five years after; he got great success. Then he started practising, and in 1692, the Marechal de Noailles appointed him in the Roussillon Army Heath Service as a Doctor. In 1693, he had to fight against a dysentery epidemic and later, at Rochefort, against the "Mal de Siam" (Yellow fever) which infected him but, nevertheless, he was cured. In 1706, the Duc d'Orleans promoted him his private doctor and attached him to go to Italy and Spain. Coming back to France, Chirac went to Paris and remained here till his death. In 1715, the Duc d'Orleans became Regent and selected him for Principal Doctor, In 1718, he succeeded to Guy Crescent Fagon as "Jardin du Roy" Superintendant. In 1720, he was called in Marseille where a plague epidemic was raging. In the funeral oration, Fontenelle was very insistent about the fact that Pierre Chirac endeavoured to set up a Medicine Academy. Unfortunately, his death (March the 1st 1732) kept him from succeeding in such a way.