Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 1346.5

A. (ANTHELME) RICHERAND (1779-1840) Des erreurs populaires relatives à la médecine. Caille et Ravier 1810 First edition. vi, 234 p. 22 cm.

Richerand was a French surgeon and physiologist and a member of the Academy of Medicine. After studying at the College of Belley, he entered the School of Health in Paris. He soon distinguished himself among the new students by his talent as an editor and the appropriateness of his remarks. He wrote a pamphlet entitled “reasoned analysis” on the lessons of his masters. To support himself, he became professor of anatomy and physiology. He was famous for his resection of the fifth and sixth ribs. Richerand was appointed assistant surgeon of the North Hospital (now Saint-Louis Hospital) and the following year, second-class surgeon. Between 1805 and 1806, he published the first edition of his Nosography Surgery: In this book, he struggled violently to establish a balance between surgery and medicine. On 24 July 1806 he was appointed surgeon Major Guard of Paris, then, by imperial decree in 1807, Chair of surgical pathology. Between 1815 and 1820, Richerand published a number of studies which contributed to his reputation, so that in 1820 he was appointed as a member of the National Academy of Medicine in the surgery department. During the reign of Louis XVIII , he was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion of Honor in August 1814. By the time of his death, he was discredited in the eyes of both his peers and the public due to controversial writings. In this interesting work, he tries to clarify some of the popular medical misconceptions. Subjects covered include: pediatrics, dentistry, mesmerism, gout, rabies, scurvy, and occultists.

Cited references: Wellcome IV p. 522

John Martin M.D. Endowment