Charriere's scale.

The writer explains the origin of the scale measuring the external diameter of different types of bougies, catheter or probes. That scale has turned out to be an essential tool for the best of several specialities created in the 19th century, namely urology. An instrument maker close to the surgeons whose ideas he would quickly grasp, Joseph F. B. Charriere, proposed a scale with thirty holes that would make it possible to get external gauge of the third of a millimetre. Several people tried to imitate his device but his scale was eventually recognized as the most efficient one all over Europe, accepted even by the British and then the Americans. Its usefullness goes on to this day as the French scale has become universal together with the unit that it entails, the Charrire unit, which is still the reference to measure all the diameters used by surgeons and doctors.

A leisurely comment on the list of medical saints by Abraham Bzowski in 1621.

The author presents a booklet dating back to 1621 printed in Rome, the work of a preacher, brother Abraham Bzowski (Bzovius), one of the writers of the famous Annals of Cardinal Baron. He draws up a list of 29 doctors who have been sanctified by the Roman Catholic Church.

[The Formulaires of Magendie (1821-1840) of the chemical pharmacy to pharmacology]. / Les Formulaires de Magendie (1821-1840) de la pharmacie chimique à la pharmacologie.

With nine consecutive issues published from 1821 to 1836, the Formulaire concepted by Magendie as a usual tool for the medical precriptions, was first dedicated to the new chemical pharmaceuticals, mainly the pure alcaloids, strychnine, quinine and morphine, extracted from raw products. As well he included mineral chemicals, hydrocyanates, iodine and bromide, all supported by newly achieved works, from Pelletier, Caventou and others. Magendie perfectly skilled in animal experimentation, developped and standardized the as far as to evaluate the activity and safety degrees of these new components. It clearly anticipated the evaluation plan determined by the law for the registration of the new drugs in the twentieth century.

[The former medical faculty of Reims, famous place of medical training for students of Liège and the region of Liège]. / L'ancienne faculté de médecine de Reims, lieu de formation médicale réputé pour les étudiants de Liège et du pays de Liège.

The author, taking advantage of this meeting between the French Society of Medicine and the Centre for the history of Science and Technology in the city of Liège, provides us with a rectified list of all the Doctors in Medicine in Liège and its province who were promoted to the former Faculty of Medicine in Reims. New controls have been made thanks to the contribution of two registration books which give previous education establishments for the medical doctorate. This research has also been checked on the list established in the masterful work written by Marcel Florkin et Jean Kelecom, namely Kelecom Le monde médical liégeois avant la Révolution (Liège Medical World before the French Revolution).

[The physicist Félix Savart (1791-1841). Physician/Surgeon, pioneer in the study of acoustics]. / Le physicien Félix Savart (1791-1841). Médecin/Chirurgien, pionnier des études acoustiques.

Félix Savart (1791-1841) was both a physician and a physicist, and also a pioneer of acoustics and psycho-acoustics. In 1819 Savart scientifically devised and contructed a trapezoidal violin with the advice of Paris string-instrument maker J-B Vuillaume. This violin drew the attention of J-B Biot who suggested young Savart to work with him on such acoustic researches. From this collaboration proceeded the so-called "law of Biot-Savart" about magnetic power which was in fact formulated by Pierre Simon de Laplace (1749-1827). Savart worked on numerous and diversified acoustic researches. Lord John Rayleigh described them as "beautiful experiments", and he became a foreign correspondant member of the Royal Society in 1839.

[History of a letter addressed to the Academy of Medicine of Paris]. / À propos d'une lettre adressée dans le premier site officiel de I'Académie de médecine de Paris.

The author presents an autograph manuscript sent from Laval by Dr Hubert to Paris Academy of medicine in which he reports the birth of a freak who died at birth during a difficult delivery. This freak is, according to our contemporary classifications, a thoraco pagus who represents from 70 to 73% of symmetrical conjoined monmphalic twins. The address mentioned is that of the first location of the Academy. He gives explanations concerning both the Academy and Dr Hubert, a Parisian MD who was a regular contributor. He goes on explaining how it was received by Professor Adelon, then annual secretary. The letter sets up in the margin a commission offamous scientists such as Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, Serres et Antoine Dubois. The case was presented to the Academy during the session of 17 november 1829. Though the Academy does not seem to have been able to keep detailed archives of that period, the Archives Générales de Médecine lets us know the reactions.

[The six final International Sanitary Conferences of 1892 to 1926, the basis of the World Health Organization]. / Les six dernières conferences sanitaires internationales de 1892 à 1926, prémices de l'Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (O.M.S.).

The authors report the contributions of the last six sanitary conferences from 1886 to 1926. All of them, from 1851 to 1926, were the first roots of WHO.

[The copy of De humani corporis fabrica of Andreas Vesalius of the municipal library of Reims]. / L'exemplaire du De humani corporis fabrica d'Andreas Vesalius de la bibliothèque municipale de Reims.

The author presents a copy of the De humani corporis fabrica by Andreas Vesalius; this book is preserved in the department of rare books of the municipal Library in Reims. This copy is a first edition as the author gives positive proofs. This book results of a donation to the Minimes's congregation of Reims by Seigneur Guillaume Le Vergeur, Count of Saint Souplet and Baillif of Vermandois in the 17th century. Guillaume Le Vergeur has also given other precious books to the monastery's library and his name is inscribed on the register of obituaries and on the pediment of the Minimes' Church.

[Claude Balme, a caregiver of the Egyptian expedition of Bonaparte (1766-1850)]. / Claude Balme, un soignant de l'expédition d'Égypte de Bonaparte (1766-1850).

The author explains military surgeon Balme's biograpyhy, especially during Bonaparte's Egyptian campaign (1798-1801). As there is some possible confusion with another Claude Balme, some archives deserve to be closely scrutinized. Through Balme's reports the author insists on his courageous part in several scurvy or plague epidemics. He was himself marked on his face; he ended his life in Lyons as a town-councillor.

[The seven wounds Ernst Jünger at the time of the Great War. Reflection of the health service of the imperial army]. / Les sept blessures d'Ernst Jünger lors de la Grande Guerre. Reflet du service de santé de l'armée impériale.

Thanks to Ernt Junger's amazing career--and despite his many injuries--we have a great view of the German Imperial Army's sanitary corps. This can be observed from the actions of the stretcher-bearers to German hospitals in general, and with the organization of their sanitary transport, as well as their medico-surgical concerns. We can see, therefore, that very few differences existed with the French medico-surgical structures except for the fact that,from the very beginning, Imperial medical warfare was able to adjust to the changes from field to trench situations. Thanks to its adaptable system of triage, and its ability to offer the most coherent medico-surgical choices and options, it was possible to save time. It enabled surgical actions in places that were close to the battlefield. Furthermore, we have been able to find out about the personal experience of an exceptional 20th century writer who later became a great European citizen.

[The Piscine Probatica, a painted canvas of the Hotel-Dieu of Rheims, documentation of an epidemic at the end of the 15th century]. / La piscine probatique, une toile peinte de l'hötel-Dieu de Reims Témoignage d'une épidémie de la fin du XVème siècle d'Ignis Plaga.

The Piscina Probatica theme is the highly distinctive iconography in an impressive painted canvas from the ancient Rheims hôtel-Dieu, dating back to the late 15th or early 16th century. In the first place, it is interesting to note that the actual site of the pool has been located, so that archaeological findings bring confirmation to testament scriptures. Through the choice of the painted-canvas medium, and thanks to his great pictorial skill, the anonymous Rheims artist has given us a document of exceptional value, concerning the signs and symptoms of an illness which wrought havoc in the Rheims area in his own lifetime, namely ignis plaga or "mal des ardents". Other great artists of the same period, such as J. Bosch, have testified to the horror of the illness. As a matter-of-fact, the illness has been fully documented, from the 17th century onwards, and the medical expert H.A. Tessier, also acting as an agricultural expert, has demonstrated that ergotized rye is responsible for the fatal condition known as ergotism, and for the heavy toll it has levied on human lives in the course of centuries.

[The hygienist Adrien Proust, his universe, plague and his ideas on international health policy]. / L'hygiéniste Adrien Proust, son univers, la peste et ses idées de politique sanitaire internationale.

Adrien Proust, Marcel's father, was a remarkable specialist of hygiens. He felt very responsible for the fight against epidemics, and his part was decisive at the Venice conference in 1896. In Marseilles and nearby islands quarantines were sill useful afterwards, especially in 1901.

[A curious certificate recalling the abolition of the Faculty of Medicine of Paris on November 21st, 1822]. / Une curieuse attestation évoquant la suppression de la Faculté de médecine de Paris le 21 novembre 1822.

The author deals with the strange certificate of the surgeon Nicolas Marjolin about events which led to the suppression of the "Faculté de Médecine" in Paris on the 21st November 1822 and all the consequences of orders of King Louis XVIII.

[Ferdinand-Jean Darier (1856-1938) dermatologist of world renown]. / Ferdinand-Jean Darier (1856-1938) dermatologiste de renommée mondiale.

Jean Darier's work gave him a wordly reputation. He knew how to use the potential of biology and anatomic pathology when dermatology became more scientific and less morphological. At the World Congress of History in 1936 he gave a lecture on historic of Dermatology about history of Dermatology during the 50 previous years. He wrote some pertinent obituaries of colleagues.

[Homage to Professor André Cornet (March 31, 1911-July 20, 2007), former President of the French Society of the History of Medicine]. / Hommage au Professeur André Cornet (31 mars 1911-20 juillet 2007), ancien Président de la Société française d'Histoire de la Médecine.

As he was the general secretary of the Society for eleven years, Doctor Alain Ségal, gastroenterologist, paid tribute to Professor André Cornet for his determining action during the six years of his chairmanship of the Society. The length of this period was unusual according to the statutes but it allowed him thanks to his watchful and well-accepted authority to save our Society from a threatening disaster. The author evoked professor Cornet's contribution to the history of our art in Histoire des Sciences médicales with the help of his wife, doctor Anna Cornet.

[Small conclusions of the moment]. / Petites conclusions du moment.

The author provides a little momentary conclusion about the medical scanning, term coined since 1989. As a matter of fact he could directly live some great times through the studious friendship of his father with professors Jean-marie Dubois de Montreynaud and Charles Debray. The three of them were great researchers about the means offered by this technique. The author tries to make share the thoughts he has compared with the philosopher of the imagery, François Dagognet, about the medical videology. So in front of such a swiftly evolution of several techniques of medical imagery it is not amazing that we are finally led to a very momentary conclusion.

[Outline of the work of Pierre Solomon Ségalas of Etchépare (1792-1875)]. / Aperçu sur l'oeuvre de Pierre Salomon Ségalas d'Etchépare (1792-1875).

The author underlines the part of Pierre Salomon Ségalas in experimental physiology as his works are written for ever in the famous Journal de physiologie of François Magendie and insists upon his creation of the "speculum for urethra" which became the precursor of our modern devices. Ségalas practised urology as speciality while he had wide knowledge in physical chemistry and medicine whose traces can be found in the meetings of the "Académie de Médecine" he often attended. He is the example of a complete medical practitioner of the first half of the XIXth century as he created the idea of an exclusive speciality to practise.

[Bouchardat and hygienic medicine]. / Bouchardat et la médecine hygiénique.

Bouchardat (1806-1886) got his medical degree in Paris in 1832. As chief pharmacist at the Hôtel-Dieu (Paris), he set up chemical analysis for blood and urine. He inaugurated medical analysis and biochemistry, investigating the digestive process on dogs. In 1852, he was made as professor for hygiene at the Faculty of medicine. Then, he taught for fourty years, publishing extensive works on pharmacology, toxicology, nutrition and agronomics. He gave a modern view on individual and collective needs for food that he considered as the main aspect of hygiene. He was a member of the Académie de médecine and the Société centrale d'agriculture.

[A special collection, testimony of the national assistance for the fight against tuberculosis in the trenches (1914 - 1917)]. / Une collection particulère, témoignage de l'aide nationale pour la lutte contre la tuberculose dans les tranchées (1914 - 1917).

The authors try to explain the human and patriotic reasons of the sale of vignettes and little medals in 1917. It was the year when tuberculosis raged in trenches. On Léon Bourgeois's instigation the country was urged for the difficult struggle and people were thanked for their gift by vignettes and medals some of which were signed by the famous artist René Lalique (1860-1945). The authors show a rare and complete collection human and patriotic reasons.