Marie Félicie Phisalix (née Picot) (20 November 1861 — 18 January 1946) was a French scientist who researched

snake venom Snake venom is a highly toxic saliva containing zootoxins that facilitates in the immobilization and digestion of prey. This also provides defense against threats. Snake venom is usually injected by unique fangs during a Snakebite, bite, though ...

and antidotes. She was awarded the

Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur 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. Currently consisting of five classes, it was o ...

in 1923.

Early life and education

Phisalix was part of the

Jurassic separatism Jura separatism () is a regionalism (politics), regionalist Autonomism (political doctrine), autonomist movement in the Bernese Jura of Switzerland. The "Jura question" (; ) is the question of secession of the Jura region from canton of Bern, ...

movement. She was born in

Besançon Besançon (, ; , ; archaic ; ) is the capital of the Departments of France, department of Doubs in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. The city is located in Eastern France, close to the Jura Mountains and the border with Switzerland. Capi ...

, the daughter of Camille Joséph Picot and Marie Josephine Dalloz. From 1882, she studied at the

École normale supérieure de jeunes filles The ''École normale supérieure de jeunes filles'' (also, ''École normale supérieure de Sèvres'') was a French institute of higher education, in Sèvres, now a commune in the suburbs of Paris. The school educated girls only, especially as te ...

, which had recently been established. She qualified in 1889, where she taught herself and worked toward a

medical degree A medical degree is a professional degree admitted to those who have passed coursework in the fields of medicine and/or surgery from an accredited medical school. Obtaining a degree in medicine allows for the recipient to continue on into special ...

. She was one of the first French women to become a doctor of medicine. She defended her thesis ''Histological, embryological and physiological research on the venom glands of the terrestrial salamander'' in 1900. Phisalix began to work on

antidotes, and won a prize for her doctoral research on reptile and amphibian venoms. She identified that venom function is not adapted to attack or defence.

Research and career

In 1910, Phisalix joined the

National Museum of Natural History The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. It has free admission and is open 364 days a year. With 4.4 ...

, where she led the laboratory of

ichthyology Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish, including bony fish (Osteichthyes), cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes), and jawless fish (Agnatha). According to FishBase, 35,800 species of fish had been described as of March 2 ...

and

herpetology Herpetology (from Ancient Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is a branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, salamanders, and caecilians (Gymnophiona)) and reptiles (in ...

. She was interested in the biological role of

venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...

function. She studied the comparative anatomy of the organs that create venom as well as the pathology of their delivery. She became interested in how venom was presented in different species. She focused on lower vertebrates, higher vertebrates with

natural immunity In biology, immunity is the state of being insusceptible or resistant to a noxious agent or process, especially a pathogen or infectious disease. Immunity may occur naturally or be produced by prior exposure or immunization. Innate and adaptive ...

as well as

parasitic Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The ent ...

protozoa. She studied the blood and tissue of lower vertebrates and their venom and

anti-venom Anti-Venom is a fictional antihero appearing in Comic books published by Marvel Comics. It first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #569 (August 2008), and was created by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. The creature belongs to a race of amorp ...

. She showed that the production of venom, which is accompanied by

, is a defense strategy. Phisalix was a

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...

, who served as the Vice President of the Association for the Improvement of the Status of Women. She led the 1945 meeting of the French League for the Rights of Women.

Awards and honours

Phisalix was awarded the

French Academy of Sciences The French Academy of Sciences (, ) is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French Scientific method, scientific research. It was at the forefron ...

Prix Bréant in 1916 and 1922. In 1923 she was awarded the

, and the

Académie française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

Grand Prix Lasserre in 1928. She was proposed for membership 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 ...

, but was not accepted.

Books

* *

Personal life

Phisalix was married to Césaire Phisalix, a French biologist.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phisalix, Marie French women scientists 1861 births 1946 deaths Scientists from Besançon Recipients of the Legion of Honour Toxinologists