Jean Cruveilhier

Jean Cruveilhier (1791 in Limoges, France – 1874 in Sussac) was a French anatomist. In 1816 he earned his doctorate in Paris, where in 1825 he succeeded Pierre Augustin Béclard (1785-1825) as professor of anatomy. In 1836 he relinquished the chair of anatomy to Gilbert Breschet (1784-1845), and became the first occupant of the recently founded chair of pathological anatomy. Puerto Rican pro-independence leader, surgeon and Légion d'honneur laurea... more

Jean Cruveilhier (1791 in Limoges, France – 1874 in Sussac) was a French anatomist. In 1816 he earned his doctorate in Paris, where in 1825 he succeeded Pierre Augustin Béclard (1785-1825) as professor of anatomy. In 1836 he relinquished the chair of anatomy to Gilbert Breschet (1784-1845), and became the first occupant of the recently founded chair of pathological anatomy. Puerto Rican pro-independence leader, surgeon and Légion d'honneur laureate, Ramón Emeterio Betances, was one of his prominent students. Cruveilhier was a highly influential anatomist, and made important contributions in his studies involving the nervous system. He described the pathology of neuronal lesions observed in what today is known as multiple sclerosis, publishing his findings and illustrations in 1842. He was also the first to record the clinical history of a patient who had the disease. However, it wasn't until 1868 that multiple sclerosis was discovered by neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot to be a... less