A FRENCH EPIDEMIOLOGIST of the SIXTEENTH CENTURY by E

[From Dubovrgdiev: Aphorismi Prognostici Hippocratis, Romae, 1659.] ANNALS OF MEDICAL HISTORY New Series , Volu me VII Septe mber , 1935 Number 5 A FRENCH EPIDEMIOLOGIST OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY By E. W. GOODALL, O.B.E., M.D. LONDON, ENGLAND ES temps de vio- barity. For many years, too, a bigoted lence, de trahi- and cruel religious persecution added son et d’iniquite;” its horrors to those of war. Famine with these words and pestilence, the natural results Sainte-Beuve stig- of human strife, increased with their matized the six- measure of evil the sufferings of teenth century and the unhappy nation. It was not till fitly summed up the nearly the close of the century that characters of that age so far as they Henry iv established his position as were exhibited in his own country.1 lawful sovereign and relieved the During the first half of the century harrassed country with the blessings France was frequently harrowed, now of peace. in one quarter, now in another, by It has been fortunate for the human warfare, offensive or defensive, with race that events such as those which foreign enemies. In the latter half it occurred in France during the six- was rent by disastrous politico-reli- teenth century have rarely, if ever, gious civil wars, engendered by the deterred those men from carrying out their intentions, whose minds and jealous ambition of powerful aristo- wills were bent on other pursuits cratic families, who contended for than those connected solely with the control of a succession of feeble the waging of war. Had it not been so, monarchs, if not for the actual pos- the progress of art, literature and session of the crown itself. These science would have been slow indeed. various wars, which left hardly a Epoch-making discoveries have been corner of the kingdom unscathed, made amidst circumstances which, were conducted with ferocious bar- it can be justly supposed, would have inevitably distracted to other ends of that age, as recorded by Bertrand the attention of those who made and Hazon, gives little idea of its them. In France in the sixteenth turbulent character.2 Most of them appear to have devoted themselves strictly to the practice of their profes- sion, the writing, translating or editing of books, and the fulfilment of their duties in connection with the Faculty of Medicine in the University of Paris, and were able to carry on their work in more or less tranquillity. Still, a few were not so fortunate. In 1563 a band of marauding Hugue- nots, so it is related, pillaged the library of Dr. Jacques Goupyl, and the poor man died not long afterwards of grief, it is said, at his loss. In the following year Dr. Pierre Belon was murdered by robbers on the outskirts of Paris, while he was engaged in collecting botanical specimens. Dr. Jean Chapelain, physician to Charles ix—he had previously served in the century persons who refrained from same capacity to Henry 11 and Francis meddling in theology and politics, 11—and Dr. Capel, physician to Cath- more especially if they enjoyed the erine de’ Medici, both died in 1569 patronage of royalty or the nobility, at the siege of Saint Jean d’Angely, might enjoy a comparatively peaceful of an epidemic disease which was life. Even those who professed the raging in the army at the time. A reformed faith, so detestable to the position at court entails responsi- orthodox, might, in these circum- bilities over and above those which stances, escape the usual fate of the must be borne by the ordinary practi- heretic. The celebrated surgeon, Am- tioner, and as in the sixteenth century broise Pare, and, at any rate for the King’s physicians and surgeons many years, the no less celebrated attended their royal patron on his potter, scientist and writer, Bernard campaigns, to these responsibilities Pallissy, owed to the royal favour were added the risks of warfare. In their immunity from persecution. On the closing years of the century the the other hand in 1536 Nicolas Cop, commotions stirred up by the civil a Doctor and Professor of Medicine war so interfered with the affairs and Rector of the University, the of the Faculty of Medicine that the son of Guillaume Cop, who at the schools were empty and the number very time was physician to Francis 1, of candidates for the licence to prac- was obliged to lly from Paris at a tise was very greatly diminished. moment’s notice because of his heret- Guillaume de Baillou, or as he ical opinions. A perusal, however, latinized his name, Gulielmus Bal- of the lives of certain of the physicians Ionius, the subject of this paper, was one of those physicians, referred to and at night was the haunt of the above, who pursued their occupa- dregs of the populace. During the tions apparently quite unperturbed religious persecution, which was most by the conditions under which they unrelenting in the reigns of Francis were living, however unpropitious 1 and Henry 11, heretics were fre- they may seem to be to us as we look quently executed in public with hide- back upon them. Yet he must have ously cruel tortures. The Parisian witnessed many terrible events, for mob was notoriously unruly and easily he lived in Paris, so far as we know, incited to criminal acts, so that during the whole of his life. Paris scenes of violence were frequent and did not escape the horrors of the age; murders only too common. Baillou, on the contrary, it was the scene of therefore, together with other peaceful some of the worst of them. In the citizens, doubtless became inured to sixteenth century it was a fortified the sight of deeds of which we of the city. Various estimates of the number present day do not care even to think. of its inhabitants have been made; He must, for instance, have looked it was probably from 250,000 to on at the massacre of Saint Bartholo- 300,000. While there is evidence to mew’s day, August 24, 1572, and show that the city was insanitary have endured the pitiful and revolting and unhealthy to a degree and that miseries of the siege of Paris in 1590. various fevers termed continued and Perhaps he, with other scientific men pestilential (amongst which was in- who were not engaged in the govern- cluded true plague), smallpox and ment and politics, sought relief from influenza were frequently epidemic, his surroundings in unremitting atten- details which give with any exactness tion to his professional duties.3 the number and duration of epidemics, For such information as we have the amount of ordinary sickness and concerning Baillou’s career we are the toll of deaths, are unfortunately indebted almost entirely to Rene wanting even from medical writers. Moreau, who wrote the account of his Mud, with all sorts of filth, was life which is to be found at the begin- allowed to accumulate in the streets ning of Baillou’s works. Now this and was only very occasionally re- account is prefaced by the statement moved. There were several gibbets in that it has been taken “ex Iibro different places in the city, upon which Renati Moraei, Doctoris Medici Pari- the bodies of the executed hung, siensis et Professoris Rcgii, De II- often till the flesh had rotted from lustribus Medicis Parisiensibus.” A the bones. The great Cemetery of curious interest attaches to this “Life the Innocents, situated well within of Baillou.” Rene Moreau, who died the city walls, was permitted to in 1656 aged seventy-two years, was a remain in such a loathsome state well-known physician in Paris during that the Faculty of Medicine on the first half of the seventeenth more than one occasion urged its century. He attended Louis xm in closure as a sanitary measure. Num- his last illness. Bertrand, in his ac- bers of decomposing corpses were count of Moreau, published and edited freely exposed to view, yet the ceme- after Bertrand’s death by Hazon in tery was the daily resort of citizens 1778, refers to Dr. Naudc, who was for the purpose of business or pleasure, Cardinal Mazarin’s librarian, as hav- ing in all probability seen the manu- to light, those of Jacques Sylvius script of Moreau’s biographical work. and Barthelemi Perdulcis (Ledoux), After Moreau’s death, the works he which were published at the beginning left in manuscript were purchased of their works. for 6000 livres by M. Fouquet, the Guillaume de Baillou came of a Procureur-General and Surintendant noble family which possessed an estate des Finances, who was a generous at Nogent-Ie-Rotrou, some eighty patron of letters. When, in 1661, miles southwest of Paris, in which city Fouquet fell into disgrace, his prop- he was born in 1538. His father, erty, including the manuscripts, was Nicolas Baillou, an accomplished ar- dispersed by sale. Later, Dr. Gui chitect, had betaken himself to the Patin, the pedantic Parisian physician capital at the instance of the Guilliars, and book-collector of the seventeenth who at that time held very important century and pupil and friend of positions in the kingdom, and through Moreau, searched for the manuscript their inlluence had entered the service of the “Lives” but searched in vain? of Catherine de’ Medici. Andrew The work has never been found and Guilliar, President of Parliament and therefore has never been published. Counsellor of State, took the young How then comes it that the “Life of Guillaume under his patronage and Baillou,” written by Moreau and caused him to be educated with his taken from the lost manuscript, ap- own children at his own expense.5 pears at the beginning of the former’s The boy proved an apt pupil.

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