French physician and historical writer; born at Metz April 24, 1802 (according to some sources, April 23, 1803); died in Paris May 31, 1888. Meeting with difficulties in his preparation for the polytechnic school, he turned to medicine. B�gin served in the army, and was, during the Spanish war, attached to the hospital of Barcelona. Upon his return to France in 1828 he received the doctor's degree upon contributing the thesis "Influence des Travaux Intellectuels sur le Syst�me Physique et Moral de l'Homme," Strasburg. He then settled in his native city, where in 1830 he founded a weekly journal, called "L'Indicateur de l'Est," which was, however, discontinued on Jan. 1, 1832. In 1850 B�gin removed to Paris and engaged in literary and archeological pursuits. Among other activities he participated in the works of the commission charged with the collection and publication of the correspondence of Napoleon I. In 1869 B�gin was appointed librarian of the Louvre, and in 1874, of the Biblioth�que Nationale, Paris, serving at the same time as physician at this institution. Besides being a member of many academies and societies, he was also attached to the Commission of Historical Monuments of the Moselle department.
In the field of medicine he published, in addition to his doctorate dissertation: "Connaissance Physique et Morale de l'Homme," Nancy, 1837; "Lettres sur l'Histoire M�dicale du Nord-Est de la France," Metz, 1840; "Le Buchan Fran�ais: Nouveau Trait� Complet de M�decine Usuelle," 2 vols., Paris, 1836; "Lettres � M. Littr� sur Quelques Phlegmasies Muqueuses Epid�miques Qui Ont Regn� Depuis Deux Si�cles dans le Nord-Est de la France," Metz, 1842; and others. In literary and historical fields he displayed a still greater productivity, the chief works of which are: "Histoire de Napol�on, de Sa Famille et de Son Epoque au Point de Vue de l'Influence Napol�onienne sur le Monde," 6 vols., Paris, 1853-54; "Biographie de la Moselle," 4 vols., Paris, 1832; "M�langes d'Arch�ologie et d'Histoire," Metz, 1840; "Dithyrambe Compos� pour Honorer la M�moire du G�n�ral Foy," in "Couronne Po�tique du G�n�ral Foy," by Magalon, Paris, 1826; "Guide de l'Etranger � Metz et dans le D�partement de la Moselle," Metz, 1834; "Education Lorraine El�mentaire," 3 vols., Metz, 1835-36; "Guide de l'Etranger � Nancy," Nancy, 1837; "La Moselle d'Ausone," translated into prose, Nancy, 1839; "Metz Depuis Dix-Huit Si�cles," 3 vols., Metz, 1846; "Voyage Pittoresque en Espagne et en Portugal," Paris, 1852; "Voyage Pittoresque en Savoie et sur les Alpes," Paris, 1852; "Mus�e M�diomatricien," Metz; "Eloges"; "Histoire des Sciences, des Lettres, des Arts et de la Civilisation dans le Pays Messin Depuis les Gaulois Jusqu'� Nos Jours," Metz, 1829; "Histoire des Duch�s de Lorraine, de Bar, et des Trois Ev�ch�s: Meurthe, Meuse, Moselle, et Vosges," 2 vols., Nancy, 1833; and a large number of articles and treatises in periodical publications, especially in "Austrasia," of which, he was one of the founders. Of particular interest to Judaism are his researches on the history of the Jews in France, "Recherches pour Servir � l'Histoire des Juifs dans le Nord-Est de la France," published in "Revue Orientale," Brussels, vols. and; and on Jewish physicians in Alsace and some other provinces, published in the form of letters to E. Carmoly, editor of the "Revue Orientale" ("Lettres Messines," ib. ).