CME INDIA Presentation by ⚜ Dr. M. Gowri Sankar, MD, Senior Assistant Professor, Dept. of General Medicine, Government Medical College and ESI Hospital, Coimbatore.
Today’s History Feature:
Prof. Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot
(Nov 29, 1825 – Aug 16, 1893)
💠French Neurologist
💠Founder of Modern Neurology
His contributions…
🔹Charcot was born a son to a carriage maker in Paris. He studied medicine at the University of Paris in 1853.
🔹He served as a senior physician in the famous Paris hospital – Salpetriere University Hospital. In 1882 he established an exclusive neurology clinic, which was the first of its kind in Europe. He also worked as a Professor at the University of Paris for 33 years.
🔹Moreover, he was considered the Great Master of Medicine during his period. His reputation as a clinician and as a teacher gathered students from all over Europe.
🔹Furthermore, Prof. Charcot was the first to diagnose Multiple Sclerosis on a living patient. He also described the characteristics of Tabes dorsalis and paralysis agitans.
🔹He was also very curious about Hysteria, hence he learned a new technique called Hypnosis. He went on to influence some remarkable students such as Alfred Binet, Pierre Janet and Sigmund Freud. They became famous psychiatrists of the 20th century.
🔹 His Eponyms…
🔅 Charcot-Leyden crystals in Asthma.
🔅 Charcot-Neumann crystals – Phosphate crystals in semen.
🔅 Charcot Joint or Neuropathic Joint.
🔅 Charcot Triad I or Cerebral Triad – Intension tremor, nystagmus and scanning speech in Multiple sclerosis.
🔅 Charcot’s Triad II or Biliary Triad – Biliary colic, intermittent jaundice and fever with chills seen in patient with stone in common bile duct.
🔅 Charcot Bouchard Aneurysm – Charcot artery of cerebral haemorrhage.
🔅 Charcot’s Disease or Lou Ghering Disease.
🔅 Charcot’s Vertigo or Cough Syncope.
🔅 Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease – Hereditary Motor Sensory Neuropathy.
🔅 Charcot-Wilbrand syndrome – A neuro ophthalmic syndrome.
🔅 Charcot-Weiss-Baker syndrome or Carotid sinus hypersensitivity syndrome or Tight collor syndrome.
🔅 Souques-Charcot Syndrome – Premature aging in young children with dwarfism.
🔹Besides, he had a keen interest in drawing and painting. He was a great lover of Beethoven’s music, so, he used to devote every Thursday evening exclusively to music and nobody was allowed to utter a single word on medicine.
🔹Consequently, he was nicknamed “Caesar of Salpetriere” and “Napoleon of the Neurosis.”
A Day to Commemorate…
The Napoleon of Modern Neurology
Prof. Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot 🙏
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