Alexis Boyer (1 March 175723 November 1833) was a French surgeon, born in

Corrèze Corrèze (; oc, Corresa) is a department in France, named after the river Corrèze which runs through it. Although its prefecture is Tulle, its most populated city is Brive-la-Gaillarde. Corrèze is located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region ...

. He was the son of a tailor, and he obtained his first medical knowledge in the shop of a barber surgeon. When he moved to

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

, he had the good fortune to attract the attention of renowned surgeons

Antoine Louis Antoine Louis (; 13 February 1723, Metz – 20 May 1792) was an 18th-century French surgeon and physiologist. He was originally trained in medicine by his father, a sergeant major at a local military hospital. As a young man he moved to Paris, w ...

(1723–1792) and

Pierre-Joseph Desault Pierre-Joseph Desault (6 February 1738 – 1 June 1795) was a French anatomist and surgeon. Biography Pierre-Joseph Desault was born in Vouhenans, Franche-Comté. He was destined for a career in the Church, but his own inclination was towards the ...

(1744–1795). Boyer persevered at his profession, and became notorious for his anatomical knowledge and surgical dexterity. At the age of 37 he was appointed second surgeon to the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris. On the establishment of the École de Sante, he was named chair of operative surgery, but soon exchanged it for the chair of clinical surgery. Boyer specialized in urological pathology, especially disorders of

micturition Urination, also known as micturition, is the release of urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body. It is the urinary system's form of excretion. It is also known medically as micturition, voiding, uresis, ...

. Boyer was a cautious and finicky physician, not always trusting of new innovations in treatment. He practiced and wrote with skill and sense. His two masterworks are ' (in 4 vols., 1797–1799), of which a fourth edition appeared in 1815, and ' (in 2 vols., 1814–1826), of which a newer edition in seven volumes was published in 1844–1853 with additions by his son, Philippe Boyer (1801–1858). In 1805,

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

promoted Boyer to the status of imperial family surgeon, and, after the successful campaigns of 1806 and 1807, conferred on him the Legion of Honor, with the title of baron of the empire and a salary of 25,000 francs. On the fall of Napoleon, Boyer's merits secured him the favor of the succeeding sovereigns of France, and he was consulting surgeon to

Louis XVIII Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. He spent twenty-three years in ...

Charles X Charles X (born Charles Philippe, Count of Artois; 9 October 1757 – 6 November 1836) was King of France from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. An uncle of the uncrowned Louis XVII and younger brother to reigning kings Louis XVI and Lou ...

, and

Louis Philippe Louis Philippe (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, and the penultimate monarch of France. As Louis Philippe, Duke of Chartres, he distinguished himself commanding troops during the Revolutionary War ...

. In 1825 Boyer succeeded J. F. L. Deschamps (1740–1824) as surgeon-in-chief at

Hôpital de la Charité Hôpital de la Charité (, "Charity Hospital") was a hospital in Paris founded in the 17th century and closed in 1935. History In 1606, Marie de Médicis invited the Brothers Hospitallers of St. John of God to come to France. The Abbot of Sai ...

, and was chosen a member of the

Institute An institute is an organisational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations ( research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body. In some countries, institutes ca ...

. He died in Paris in 1833.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Boyer, Alexis 1757 births 1833 deaths Members of the French Academy of Sciences French surgeons Barons de Boyer