Marie Jonet Dugès (1730–1797) was a

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

midwife A midwife (: midwives) is a health professional who cares for mothers and Infant, newborns around childbirth, a specialisation known as midwifery. The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughou ...

Family

Jonet Dugès' daughter,

Marie Lachapelle Marie-Louise Lachapelle (1 January 1769 – 4 October 1821) was a French midwife, head of obstetrics at the Hôtel-Dieu de Paris, Hôtel-Dieu, the oldest hospital in Paris. She published textbooks about women's bodies, gynecology, and obstet ...

, was also a renowned midwife. From an early age, her daughter was a constant companion and assisted at births. Dugès taught her everything she knew about midwifery.

Career

Jonet Dugès was first a sworn midwife ("sage-femme jurée") at the Chatelet Hospital. Later, in 1775, she was promoted to the position of Midwife-in-Chief of the

Hôtel-Dieu In French-speaking countries, a hôtel-Dieu () was originally a hospital for the poor and needy, run by the Catholic Church. Nowadays these buildings or institutions have either kept their function as a hospital, the one in Paris being the oldest an ...

. She performed her duties with such zeal, ability, and faithfulness that when she retired the government awarded her a liberal pension.

Legacy

Marie Jonet Dugès is remembered as one of the most significant midwives attached to the Hôtel-Dieu, and for her improvement of French midwifery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jonet Duges, Marie French obstetricians French midwives Health professionals from Paris 1730 births 1797 deaths