Jean-René Cruchet (21 March 1875,

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...

– 1959, Bordeaux) was a French

pathologist Pathology is the study of the causal, causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when us ...

Education and career

In 1902 he obtained his medical doctorate at the

University of Bordeaux The University of Bordeaux (French: ''Université de Bordeaux'') is a public university based in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It has several campuses in the cities and towns of Bordeaux, Dax, Gradignan, Périgueux, Pessac, and Ta ...

and subsequently became ''chef de clinique médicale''. In 1907 he received his habilitation and became ''médecin des hôpitaux''. He became a professor of general pathology in 1920, and in 1926 attained the chair of

pediatrics Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until th ...

at Bordeaux. Cruchet is remembered for his research of

spasmodic torticollis Spasmodic torticollis is an extremely painful chronic neurological movement disorder causing the neck to involuntarily turn to the left, right, upwards, and/or downwards. The condition is also referred to as "cervical dystonia". Both agonist and ...

. In 1907 he published ''Traité des torticolis spasmodiques'', an influential

monograph A monograph is a specialist work of writing (in contrast to reference works) or exhibition on a single subject or an aspect of a subject, often by a single author or artist, and usually on a scholarly subject. In library cataloging, ''monograph ...

in which he documented 357 cases of

torticollis Torticollis, also known as wry neck, is a dystonic condition defined by an abnormal, asymmetrical head or neck position, which may be due to a variety of causes. The term ''torticollis'' is derived from the Latin words ''tortus, meaning "twisted ...

. He also conducted investigations on

tic disorders Tic disorders are defined in the ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'' (DSM) based on type (motor or phonic) and duration of tics (sudden, rapid, nonrhythmic movements). Tic disorders are defined similarly by the World Health O ...

and studies of

motion sickness Motion sickness occurs due to a difference between actual and expected motion. Symptoms commonly include nausea, vomiting, cold sweat, headache, dizziness, tiredness, loss of appetite, and increased salivation. Complications may rarely include d ...

experienced by aviators. In the winter of 1915–16 he was the first physician to give a report on

encephalitis lethargica Encephalitis lethargica is an atypical form of encephalitis. Also known as "sleeping sickness" or "sleepy sickness" (distinct from tsetse fly-transmitted sleeping sickness), it was first described in 1917 by neurologist Constantin von Economo a ...

(Economo's disease). He first noticed the presence of the disease in French soldiers at

Verdun Verdun (, , , ; official name before 1970 ''Verdun-sur-Meuse'') is a large city in the Meuse department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital ...

. Historically encephalitis lethargica was referred to as "Cruchet's disease".

Selected publications

* ''Étude critique sur le tic convulsif et son traitement gymnastique'' (Critical study on convulsive tics and their treatment), 1901–02 * ''Traité des torticolis spasmodiques'' (Treatise on spasmodic torticollis), 1907 * ''Le mal des aviateurs'' (Aviator sickness) 1919 with R. Moulinier in ''Les actualités médicales''; later translated into English. * ''Méningites chroniques et idiotie'' (Chronic

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 ...

and idiocy) ''In Nouveau traité de médecine et de thérapeutique'' of

Augustin Nicolas Gilbert Augustin Nicolas Gilbert (15 February 1858 – 4 March 1927) was a French physician. He was born in the town of Buzancy, Ardennes, and died in Paris. He received his doctorate from the University of Paris and became an interne at the Hôtel-Dieu ...

(1858–1927) and

Paul Carnot Paul Carnot (16 January 1869, in Limoges – 1 April 1957, in Paris) was a French physician. He served as ''médecin des hôpitaux'' in Paris, becoming a professor of therapeutic medicine in 1918 to the Paris medical faculty. In 1922 he was elec ...

(1869–1957) * ''L’encéphalite épidémique'' (Epidemic

encephalitis Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain. The severity can be variable with symptoms including reduction or alteration in consciousness, headache, fever, confusion, a stiff neck, and vomiting. Complications may include seizures, hallucinations, ...

), 1928.

References

Cruchet''
at

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 ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruchet, Jean-Rene Physicians from Bordeaux 1875 births 1959 deaths French pathologists