Émile Marchoux (24 March 1862 – 19 August 1943) was a French physician and

biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...

born in Saint-Amant-de-Boixe,

Charente Charente (; Saintongese: ''Chérente''; ) is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It is named after the river Charente, the most important and longest river in the department, and also the r ...

. He studied medicine in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, defending his doctorate with a dissertation titled ''Histoire des épidémies de fièvre typhoïde dans les troupes de marine à Lorient'' (1887). From 1888 to 1900 he served as a naval doctor in

Dahomey The Kingdom of Dahomey () was a West African List of kingdoms in Africa throughout history, kingdom located within present-day Benin that existed from approximately 1600 until 1904. It developed on the Abomey Plateau amongst the Fon people in ...

, afterwards being responsible for vaccination services in

Cochin Kochi ( , ), formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. The city is also commonly referred to as Ernaku ...

(1890–1893). In 1893 he began taking

microbiology Microbiology () is the branches of science, scientific study of microorganisms, those being of unicellular organism, unicellular (single-celled), multicellular organism, multicellular (consisting of complex cells), or non-cellular life, acellula ...

classes at the

Pasteur Institute The Pasteur Institute (, ) is a French non-profit private foundation dedicated to the study of biology, micro-organisms, diseases, and vaccines. It is named after Louis Pasteur, who invented pasteurization and vaccines for anthrax and rabies. Th ...

, where he studied the

anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Bacillus anthracis'' or ''Bacillus cereus'' biovar ''anthracis''. Infection typically occurs by contact with the skin, inhalation, or intestinal absorption. Symptom onset occurs between one ...

bacterium in the laboratory of

Emile Roux Emile or Émile may refer to: * Émile (novel) (1827), autobiographical novel based on Émile de Girardin's early life * Emile, Canadian film made in 2003 by Carl Bessai * '' Emile: or, On Education'' (1762) by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a treatise o ...

(1853–1933). From 1895 he was based in

Saint-Louis, Senegal Saint-Louis () or Saint Louis (), is the capital of Senegal's Saint-Louis Region. Located in the northwest of Senegal, near the mouth of the Senegal River, and north of Senegal's capital city Dakar. It had a population of 254,171 in 2023. Saint-L ...

, where he established a laboratory of microbiology, subsequently dealing with an epidemic involving

amoebic dysentery Amoebiasis, or amoebic dysentery, is an infection of the intestines caused by a parasitic amoeba '' Entamoeba histolytica''. Amoebiasis can be present with no, mild, or severe symptoms. Symptoms may include lethargy, loss of weight, coloni ...

. During his stay in

Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...

he published an influential account of

malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...

that was published in the ''Annales de l'Institut Pasteur'' (1897). From 1901 to 1905, Marchoux worked with

Paul-Louis Simond Paul-Louis Simond (30 July 1858 – 3 March 1947) was a French physician, chief medical officer and biologist whose major contribution to science was his demonstration that the intermediates in the transmission of bubonic plague from rats to ...

(1858–1947) and Alexandre Salimbeni (1867–1942) in Brazil researching yellow fever. Here the three scientists were successful in eradicating the yellow fever epidemic from

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

. With Salimbeni, he conducted a detailed study of avian spirochaetosis, providing a description on its mode of transmission. In 1905 he was appointed head of "tropical microbiology" at the Pasteur Institute, and in 1908 he was co-founder of the ''Société de pathologie exotique'' with

Alphonse Laveran Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran (18 June 1845 – 18 May 1922) was a French physician who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1907 for his discoveries of parasitic protozoans as causative agents of infectious diseases such as malaria ...

(1845–1922) and

Félix Mesnil Félix Étienne Pierre Mesnil ( Omonville-la-Petite, La Manche department, 12 December 1868 – 15 February 1938, Paris) was a French zoologist, biologist, botanist, mycologist and algologist. He was a student of Alfred Giard at the École Norm ...

(1868–1938). In 1922 he was named chairman of the "

commission" to the ''Société de pathologie exotique''. Marchoux is remembered today for providing

prophylaxis Preventive healthcare, or prophylaxis, is the application of healthcare measures to prevent diseases.Hugh R. Leavell and E. Gurney Clark as "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical and mental health a ...

and humanitarian treatment in his dealings with

leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a Chronic condition, long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the Peripheral nervous system, nerves, respir ...

and those with the disease. In 1919 he organized under the aegis of the ''Pavillon colonial de l'Institut Pasteur'', a counseling service for

tropical diseases Tropical diseases are diseases that are prevalent in or unique to tropical and subtropical regions. The diseases are less prevalent in temperate climates, due in part to the occurrence of a cold season, which controls the insect population by for ...

, with a special service reserved for people with leprosy. In 1931 with F. Sorel he founded the ''Institut Central de la Lèpre'' in

Bamako Bamako is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2022 population of 4,227,569. It is located on the Niger River, near the rapids that divide the upper and middle Niger valleys in the southwestern part of the country. Bamak ...

, renamed the ''Institut Marchoux de Bamako'' in his honor following his death. In 1923 at

Strasbourg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...

he was elected chair of the International Leprosy Congress, afterwards being named president of the International Association of Leprosy. In 1907 he was co-author of the treatise ''Hygiène coloniale'', which was included in the ''Traité d'hygiène'' of

Paul Brouardel Paul Camille Hippolyte Brouardel (13 February 1837, Saint-Quentin, Aisne – 23 July 1906) was a French pathologist, hygienist, and member of the Académie Nationale de Médecine. In 1858 he became an externe at the Hôpital Cochin in Paris, and ...

(1837-1906) and

Ernest Mosny Ernest Mosny (4 January 1861 – 25 April 1918) was a French physician and hygienist born in La Fère, Aisne. Mosny served as ''médecin des hopitaux'' in Paris, and was a member of the Académie de Médecine and the Conseil supérieur d'hygiène. ...

(1861–1918). In 1910 he became a member of the ''

Société de biologie The Société de biologie () is a learned society founded in Paris in 1848. The society was conceived during the French Revolution of 1848. The members of the society held regular meetings and published the proceedings in a new scientific journal. ...

'', and from 1914 to 1918 was chief medical officer of the Paris Health Department.

References

Service des Archives de l'Institut Pasteur
(biography) {{DEFAULTSORT:Marchoux, Emile People from Charente 1943 deaths French microbiologists 1862 births People of French West Africa