Gibbs and Helmholtz provide the strongest scientific influences on Duhem’s works in what is now called mathematical physics. With the help of examples exhibiting this influence in thermo-mechanics and electrodynamics, it is shown that this conduced Duhem and his followers to a definite style and practice of physical science marked by abstraction and mathematical rigor. This has practically become the rule while helping to classify the numerous, linear or non linear, effects and giving rise to fruitful developments, in continuum physics.