He dubbed himself "Chevalier", though the source of his title (equivalent to "knight" in English) is questionable, and his claims to be from an aristocratic family were false.

His general approach included bloodletting, laxatives, and eyedrops of blood from slaughtered pigeons, pulverized sugar, or baked salt.

[3] Prior to performing each surgical procedure, he would deliver a long, self-promoting speech in an unusual oratorial style.

[5] Dutch ophthalmologist R. Zegers mentions that "after his training, Taylor started practicing in Switzerland, where he blinded hundreds of patients, he once confessed".

[8] In June and July 1772, newspapers in Germany and England reported that he recently died at a convent in Prague, completely blind, after having suffered from amaurosis.