Gaspard Vieusseux (February 18, 1746 – October 21, 1814) was a

Genevan Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

physician born in

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

. In 1766 he obtained his doctorate from the

University of Leiden Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; nl, Universiteit Leiden) is a public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. The university was founded as a Protestant university in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, as a reward to the city of Le ...

, and subsequently returned to Geneva in order to practice medicine. Vieusseux is remembered for his pioneer work with

neurological Neurology (from el, νεῦρον (neûron), "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the brain, the spinal ...

disorders. In 1806 he provided an early clinical description of

bacterial meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion or ...

— this being in regards to an 1805 epidemic of the disease in the vicinity of Geneva. In 1887

Anton Weichselbaum Anton Weichselbaum (8 February 1845 – 23 October 1920) was an Austrian pathologist and bacteriologist born near the town of Langenlois. Weichselbaum was among the first scientists to recognize the importance of bacteriology for the field of pat ...

(1845–1920) of

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

isolated the agent of meningitis, now known as ''

meningococcus ''Neisseria meningitidis'', often referred to as meningococcus, is a Gram-negative bacterium that can cause meningitis and other forms of meningococcal disease such as meningococcemia, a life-threatening sepsis. The bacterium is referred to as a ...

''. In 1808 he provided the first clinical description of lateral medullary infarction to the ''Société médicochirugicale de Genève'', and in 1810 described this condition to the Medical and Chirurgical Society of

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. However, this disease was later to become known as "

Wallenberg's syndrome Lateral medullary syndrome is a neurological disorder causing a range of symptoms due to ischemia in the lateral part of the medulla oblongata in the brainstem. The ischemia is a result of a blockage most commonly in the vertebral artery or the p ...

", named after

neurologist Neurology (from el, νεῦρον (neûron), "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the brain, the spinal c ...

Adolf Wallenberg Adolf Wallenberg (10 November 1862 – 10 April 1949) was a German internist and neurologist. Wallenberg was born in Preussisch Stargard into a Jewish family. He studied at the universities of Heidelberg and Leipzig, receiving his doctorate ...

(1862–1949), who in 1901 provided a precise

anatomical Anatomy () is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having it ...

description of the disorder from an

autopsy An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death or to evaluate any di ...

. Vieusseux also distinguished himself as an early advocate of vaccinations for treatment against

smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...

References

The Founders of Child Neurology
by Stephen Ashwal

@

Who Named It ''Whonamedit?'' is an online English-language dictionary of medical eponyms and the people associated with their identification. Though it is a dictionary, many eponyms and persons are presented in extensive articles with comprehensive bibliograph ...

Physicians from the Republic of Geneva 18th-century scientists from the Republic of Geneva neurologists 1746 births 1814 deaths {{med-bio-stub