France’s “année terrible” of the Franco-Prussian War and Paris Commune, 150 years ago, and some remarkable neurologists at the time

Resumo

Franco-Prussian War started 150 years ago, and it was a short but
a tragic turning point to France as a whole, but also a challenging
moment for medicine and some outstanding French neurologists.
Besides, a new continental European power emerged, consolidating
German as a united state. Two Parisian sieges at this time, from the
Prussian and that related to the Communards, struggled the Parisian
health status. In Medicine, the wounded and diseased health care disorganized
logistics were carried out through the military, municipal a nd civil health services subdivided into mobile ambulances and fixed hospitals. The novel Cross Red ambulances took part. Moreover, anesthesia and antiseptic surgery were applied, but they were in their beginnings. The Faculty of Medicine of Paris physicians were charged with the subsidiary health care of the population, among them Jean-Martin Charcot. Some of them added to the patient care the
meetings at the Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Medicine. Many outstanding neurologists participated at this task force besides Charcot, such as Charles Lasègue, Edmé Felix Alfred Vulpian, Désiré-Magloire Bourneville, AlixJoffroy, Fulgence Raymond, Jules Joseph Déjerine and Henri Duret.