[Claude Bernard and his successors on curare: epistemological questions at stake]. / Claude Bernard et ses suiveurs sur la question du curare : enjeux épistémologiques.

Long lasting polemics about the mechanisms of the action of curare took place at the Société de Biologie over thirty years. After a period during which poisoning protocols were developed on various animal species, where Claude Bernard, Vulpian and their colleagues were involved, German electrophysiology combined its results with new histological data about motor end-plates, elaborating a theory in which young physiologists fought against Claude Bernard's views and finally managed to convince him. According to the new theory proposed by Vulpian, curare blocked transmission between end-plate and muscle. This first draft of the neurotransmission theory helps us to understand the rise of a novel physiology in the context of the school of Claude Bernard with a better integration of disciplines and a more prominent faith in reductionism and materialism.

[Autopsy of a common error: the introduction of curare in Europe by W. Raleigh]. / Autopsie d'une erreur commune: l'introduction du curare en Europe par W. Raleigh.

One of the most erroneous and repeated assertion in the history of pharmacology for anaesthetists is to say that "the curare was introduced in Europe by Sir Walter Raleigh under the name of ourari". On the contrary, the names to be reminded are: Lawrence Keymis for the first citation of the word ourari, José Gumilla for the word curare and the description of its effects, Charles-Marie de La Condamine for the import of the first known samples. The mistake was initiated by Alexander von Humboldt and developed by the physiologist Münter, a student of Johannes Müller, quoted by Claude Bernard. The repetition of this error was facilitated by the world diffusion of Claude Bernard's work.

The ultimate curse.

This paper tells the story of a doctor in a vegetative state. The approach towards him is quite different from that towards a common patient. The other physicians cannot deal with this situation with the necessary open mind.