Gilbert Breschet (7 July 1784 – 10 May 1845) was a French anatomist born in Clermont-Ferrand. He studied medicine at the University of Paris, and in 1812 was conferred as doctor of medicine in Paris. In 1836 he succeeded

Jean Cruveilhier Jean Cruveilhier (; 9 February 1791 – 7 March 1874) was a French anatomist and pathologist. Academic career Cruveilhier was born in Limoges, France. As a student in Limoges, he planned to enter the priesthood. He later developed an inte ...

(1791–1874) as professor of anatomy at the Faculté de Médecine de Paris. Breschet made many contributions in

comparative anatomy Comparative anatomy is the study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of different species. It is closely related to evolutionary biology and phylogeny (the evolution of species). The science began in the classical era, continuing in t ...

and in his research of zoonotic diseases. In 1813 with François Magendie (1783–1855), he demonstrated that rabies can be transmitted from the

saliva Saliva (commonly referred to as spit) is an extracellular fluid produced and secreted by salivary glands in the mouth. In humans, saliva is around 99% water, plus electrolytes, mucus, white blood cells, epithelial cells (from which DNA can be ...

of humans to dogs. Also, he was the first to create an accurate figure of the '' rete mirabile'' in whales and dolphins, a vascular network that allows these mammals to survive and adapt in ocean depths; a feature discovered by Edward Tyson. He did extensive anatomical studies of veins of the

cranium The skull is a bone protective cavity for the brain. The skull is composed of four types of bone i.e., cranial bones, facial bones, ear ossicles and hyoid bone. However two parts are more prominent: the cranium and the mandible. In humans, the ...

and spine, and made important investigations of the

auditory system The auditory system is the sensory system for the sense of hearing. It includes both the sensory organs (the ears) and the auditory parts of the sensory system. System overview The outer ear funnels sound vibrations to the eardrum, increasin ...

in vertebrates. He provided a comprehensive description of the utricle and saccule of the

inner ear The inner ear (internal ear, auris interna) is the innermost part of the vertebrate ear. In vertebrates, the inner ear is mainly responsible for sound detection and balance. In mammals, it consists of the bony labyrinth, a hollow cavity in the ...

, and is credited for introducing the terms " otoconia" and " helicotrema".Human Physiology by Robley Dulingson, Volume 2
/ref> The helicotrema is sometimes referred to as "Breschet's hiatus", a passageway that connects the scala tympani and scala vestibuli at the top of the cochlea. Breschet has several other anatomical terms named after him, including: * Breschet's bone(s): Small ossicles occasionally found in the

ligament A ligament is the fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones. It is also known as ''articular ligament'', ''articular larua'', ''fibrous ligament'', or ''true ligament''. Other ligaments in the body include the: * Peritoneal li ...

s of the sternoclavicular articulation. Also known as "os suprasternale" or as an episternal bone. * Breschet's canals: (''canales diploici''), Channels in the diploe of the skull that accommodate the diploic veins. * Breschet's sinus: Also known as the sphenoparietal sinus. * Breschet's veins: (''venae diploici''), Diploic veins connected with the cerebral sinuses by

emissary veins The emissary veins connect the extracranial venous system with the intracranial venous sinuses. They connect the veins outside the cranium to the venous sinuses inside the cranium. They drain from the scalp, through the skull, into the larger me ...

. In 1842, he was elected a foreign member of the

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences ( sv, Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien) is one of the Swedish Royal Academies, royal academies of Sweden. Founded on 2 June 1739, it is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization that takes special ...

Selected publications

* ''Essai sur les veines du rachis'', 1819. * ''Traité des maladies des enfants'', two volumes 1833. * ''Traité d’anatomie humaine'', with Alexandre Brière de Boismont (1797–1881), 1834. * ''Histoire anatomique et physiologique d'un organe de nature vasculaire découvert dans les Cétacés, Suivie de quelques considérations sur la respiration de ces animaux et des amphibies'', 1836.

References

''Gilbert Breschet''
@ Who Named It
The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers
{{DEFAULTSORT:Breschet, Gilbert French anatomists Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences 1784 births 1845 deaths Scientists from Clermont-Ferrand University of Paris alumni