Émile Vallin
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Émile Arthur Vallin (27 November 1833 in
Nantes Nantes (, ; ; or ; ) is a city in the Loire-Atlantique department of France on the Loire, from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. The city is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, sixth largest in France, with a pop ...
– 27 February 1924 in
Montpellier Montpellier (; ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of France, department of ...
) was a French military physician, considered to be a precursor of
public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the de ...
in France a convinced Pasteurian.


Biography

Son of François-Auguste Vallin, a doctor in Nantes and Fanny Robertson-Martel, he married Berthe Marie Vidal on 15 September 1866, whom he divorced to marry Louise Marie Bidermann on 2 April 1882. After secondary school, he was a prize-winning intern at the Nantes hospitals in the 1853 competition, then a
prosector A prosector is a person with the special task of preparing a dissection for demonstration, usually in medical schools or hospitals. Many important anatomists began their careers as prosectors working for lecturers and demonstrators in anatomy and ...
at the Nantes Secondary School of Medicine in 1855. On 8 February 1858, he passed his medical thesis at the Faculty of Medicine in Paris and in December of the same year, he was appointed trainee doctor at the Imperial School of Military Medicine and Pharmacy. From 5 August 1860 to 16 June 1861, he took part in the Syrian Expeditionary Force. On his return, he was appointed to the Military Hospital in
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 ...
. In 1865, he passed the
agrégation In France, the () is the most competitive and prestigious examination for civil service in the French public education A state school, public school, or government school is a primary school, primary or secondary school that educates all stu ...
examination, which led him to the post of professor of
epidemiology Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and Risk factor (epidemiology), determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population, and application of this knowledge to prevent dise ...
at the Val-de-Grâce Army Training Hospital. On 27 December 1866, he was appointed doctor major 2nd class and officiated at the hospitals of the
Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...
division (19 February 1870), at the
Médéa Médéa () is the capital city of Médéa Province, Algeria. It is located roughly 68 km south of Algiers. The present-day city is situated on the site of an ancient Roman military post and has a history dating back to the 10th century. The ...
military hospital (5 March 1870). He took part in the
Franco-Prussian War The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...
in the
ambulance An ambulance is a medically-equipped vehicle used to transport patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to ...
of the 17th corps headquarters as chief doctor on 2 November 1870. Promoted to the rank of Major 1st class doctor on 8 February 1871, he was transferred to the army of
Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of ÃŽle-de-France, ÃŽle-de-France region in Franc ...
, to the 46th line regiment in April, to the hospital of
Saint-Omer Saint-Omer (; ; Picard: ''Saint-Onmé'') is a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department in France. It is west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais, and is located in the Artois province. The town is named after Sa ...
in July, to that of
Valenciennes Valenciennes (, also , , ; ; or ; ) is a communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department, Hauts-de-France, France. It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced ...
in October, before being sent to the divisional hospitals of
Constantine Constantine most often refers to: * Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from 306 to 337, also known as Constantine I * Constantine, Algeria, a city in Algeria Constantine may also refer to: People * Constantine (name), a masculine g ...
in February 1872. He was sent to the
Bône Annaba (), formerly known as Bon, Bona and Bône, is a seaport city in the northeastern corner of Algeria, close to the border with Tunisia. Annaba is near the small Seybouse River and is in the Annaba Province. With a population of about 263,65 ...
hospital as acting chief doctor (August 1873), and again to Constantine (October 1873). In 1874, as full professor of military hygiene and
forensic medicine Forensic medicine is a broad term used to describe a group of medical specialties which deal with the examination and diagnosis of individuals who have been injured by or who have died because of external or unnatural causes such as poisoning, assa ...
at the École du Val-de-Grâce, he travelled to the major cities of Europe to study their health organisations and institutions, and everywhere he noted the inferiority in France in this field. He became a senior doctor of 1st class in the Val-de-Grâce on 12 December 1881, and then at the Gros-Caillou hospital from 1 December 1884. Director of the 3rd corps health service in
Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...
in December 1885, he was appointed Medical Inspector at the health service of the military government in
Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
and at the 14th corps (16 June 1888). From 1888 to 1893, he was director of the new Lyon Military Medical School (28 December 1888). On 22 April 1893, he was appointed Director of the Paris military government's health service and he ended his career.


Professional life

Public health medicine in France came up against local politics and the incomprehension of a rural population. Entrusted to military doctors (Vallin, Lacassagne, Laveran), it had solid frameworks but poor execution in the field, despite
Pasteur Louis Pasteur (, ; 27 December 1822 – 28 September 1895) was a French chemist, pharmacist, and microbiologist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation, and pasteurization, the last of which wa ...
's discoveries. In 1869, Émile Vallin took part in the 5th edition of
Michel Lévy Michel Lévy (1821–1875) was the founder of the Michel Lévy Frères publishing house. Biography Born in Phalsbourg, he was the son of a ''colporteur'' (a peddler of printed publications). In 1836, aged fifteen, he opened a reading cabin ...
's ''Traité d'Hygiène publique et privée'' (''Treatise on Public and Private Hygiene'') with a work on the ''Hygiene of the Military Profession'' (''Hygiène de la profession militaire''). He revised the translation of
Griesinger Griesinger is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Georg August Griesinger (1769–1845), German diplomat and writer * Jakob Griesinger (c. 1407 – 1491), German Dominican *Wilhelm Griesinger (1817–1868), German neurologi ...
's ''Infectionskrankheiten'' ("Infectious diseases") (1877). In 1879, he founded the ''Revue d'hygiène et de police sanitaire'' ("''Hygiene and sanitary police review''") and he then wrote numerous articles in this journal, all devoted to the most important questions of public, professional or private hygiene, military hygiene, the etiology and prophylaxis of preventable diseases, the sanitation of urban environments, collective and private homes, food hygiene, etc. He also wrote the ''Traité des désinfectants et de la désinfection'' (''Treatise on Disinfectants and Disinfection'') published in 1882. At the Academy of Medicine, he was interested in alcoholisation, the dangers of mobile stoves, the pathogenesis of
heat stroke Heat stroke or heatstroke, also known as sun-stroke, is a severe heat illness that results in a body temperature greater than , along with red skin, headache, dizziness, and confusion. Sweating is generally present in exertional heatstro ...
, disinfection in contagious diseases, alcoholism through breast-feeding,
typhoid fever Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella enterica'' serotype Typhi bacteria, also called ''Salmonella'' Typhi. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often th ...
in Paris, stinging caterpillars and the sickness in the basins of silkworm farms and the prophylaxis of
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...
. He is also the author of reports on the use of
salicylic acid Salicylic acid is an organic compound with the formula HOC6H4COOH. A colorless (or white), bitter-tasting solid, it is a precursor to and a active metabolite, metabolite of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). It is a plant hormone, and has been lis ...
and its derivatives in foodstuffs (1886), on epidemic diseases requiring compulsory declaration (1893), on the sanitary services and the
Lazaret A lazaretto ( ), sometimes lazaret or lazarette ( ), is a quarantine station for maritime travelers. Lazarets can be ships permanently at anchor, isolated islands, or mainland buildings. In some lazarets, postal items were also disinfected, usu ...
of
Frioul Friuli (; ; or ; ; ) is a historical region of northeast Italy. The region is marked by its separate regional and ethnic identity predominantly tied to the Friulians, who speak the Friulian language. It comprises the major part of the autono ...
(1902), on the supply of drinking water to the garrisons (1903). He was elected member of the Hygiene Section of the
Académie Nationale de Médecine Situated at 16 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the Académie nationale de médecine (National Academy of Medicine) was created in 1820 by King Louis XVIII at the urging of baron Antoine Portal. At its inception, the institu ...
on July 7, 1885, and was its annual Secretary from 1898 to 1902. In 1877, with
Alexandre Lacassagne Alexandre Lacassagne (August 17, 1843 – September 24, 1924) was a French physician and criminologist who was a native of Cahors. He was the founder of the Lacassagne school of criminology, based in Lyon and influential from 1885 to 1914, and th ...
and Apollinaire Bouchardat, he was a founding member of the Société de Médecine publique et d'Hygiène professionnelle (Society of Public Medicine and Professional Hygiene). He was also a member of the Medical Society of Hospitals. As early as 1884, he recommended that: He became
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 ...
's right-hand man on the Advisory Committee on Public Hygiene which depended on the authority of the Minister of the Interior and in 1889,
Pasteur Louis Pasteur (, ; 27 December 1822 – 28 September 1895) was a French chemist, pharmacist, and microbiologist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation, and pasteurization, the last of which wa ...
, Brouardel and Vallin, during the Exposition Universelle, invited the members of the departmental hygiene councils to take part in a congress devoted to prophylaxis.


Publications

* ''De l'inflammation périombilicale dans la tuberculisation du péritoine'', A. Parent imprimeur, 1869 * ''De la salubrité de la profession militaire'', Baillière, Paris, 1869 * ''Recherches expérimentales sur l'insolation et les accidents produits par la chaleur'', P. Asselin, 1870 * ''De la forme ambulatoire ou apyrétique grave de la fièvre typhoïde'', P. Asselin, Paris, 1873 * ''De l'emploi du bromure de potassium comme adjuvant dans le traitement des fièvres intermittentes'', A. Hennuyer, Paris, 1873 * ''Du mouvement de la population Européenne en Algérie'', impr. de E. Martinet, 1876 * ''Traité des maladies infectieuses'' ( Griesinger Wilhelm), J.-B. Baillière et fils, 1877 * ''Traité des désinfectants et de la désinfection'', G. Masson, 1882 * ''Rapport sur l'enquête concernant la contagion de la phtisie'', 1886 * ''L'emploi de l'acide salicylique et de ses dérivés dans les substances alimentaires'', Masson, Paris, 1887 * * ''Sur la prophylaxie du paludisme en Corse'', avec Laveran Alphonse, 1901 * ''Conférences sur l'alcoolisme'' avec Petit Arthur-Léon, Société d'éditions scientifiques, 1901


Distinctions

* Commander of the
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
(26 December 1894). * Officer of the
Ordre des Palmes académiques A suite, in Western classical music, is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral/concert band pieces. It originated in the late 14th century as a pairing of dance tunes; and grew in scope so that by the early 17th century it comprised up to ...
(7 June 1876). * Officer of the
Order of the Medjidie Order of the Medjidie (, August 29, 1852 – 1922) was a military and civilian order of the Ottoman Empire. The order was instituted in 1851 by Sultan Abdulmejid I. History Instituted in 1851, the order was awarded in five classes, with the Firs ...
(9 October 1886). *
Montyon Prize The Montyon Prize () is a series of prizes awarded annually by the French Academy of Sciences and the Académie française. They are endowed by the French benefactor Baron de Montyon. History Prior to the start of the French Revolution, the B ...
(1854)


Legacy

A street is named after him in Nantes facing the street Capitaine Yves Hervouët.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vallin, Emile Arthur 1833 births Physicians from Nantes French military doctors 1924 deaths Commanders of the Legion of Honour Officiers of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques Recipients of the Order of the Medjidie