Jean-Louis Prévost

Biographical summary

Jean Louis Prévost was the son of Guillaume Prévost (1799-1839). He made his studies with Zurich, Berlin and Vienna and becomes in 1864 intern of Alfred Vulpian with Paris. It is the same year, whereas it is yet only student, that it publishes with his friend Jules Cotard an article on the softening of the brain. Its two other important work of this time is a report on the infantile paralysis and its work of thesis devoted to the combined deviation of the head and the eyes in the unilateral cerebral lesions, a sign which had drawn the attention of its owner of thesis Vulpian.

Having obtained its doctorate with Paris in 1868, it returns in its birthplace of Geneva where it creates its own research laboratory. He will collaborate in particular with the English neurophysiologist Augustus Volney Waller (1816-1870) and will have as pupils Paul Charles Dubois (1848-1918) and Jules Dejerine: when the latter decides in 1871 to look further into its medical formation with Paris, it is its quality of former student of Vulpian which makes it possible Prévost to introduce in its turn near its former Master his young Dejerine pupil. In 1876 it is named professor of therapeutic medical at the lately founded medical college of Geneva. It succeeds in 1897 Moritz Schiff as professor of Physiologie, station which it will occupy until in 1913. In the last years of its life, it becomes blind and dies the September 12th 1927 of the continuations of an surgical operation.

Prévost introduced the methods of modern physiology with Geneva. With Constant E. Barb (1844-1931) and Jacques-Louis Reverdin (1848-1929), he is the cofounder, in 1881 of the “ Medical check of the French-speaking Switzerland ”. He was the author of more than 60 books and articles and directed 10 theses of doctorate.

Eponymy

Law of Prévost-Vulpian: the side of the rotation of the head indicates that of the lesion in the event of unilateral lesion of a hemisphere céréral.

Syndrome of Prévost: combined deviation of the head and the eyes in the event of unilateral lesion of a hemisphere céréral.

Its principal publications

physiological and pathological Studies on the softening of the brain (in collaboration with Jules Cotard). Memory read with the Company of biology in the month of December 1865.

Observation of infantile paralysis; lesions of the muscles and marrow. Reports and Memories of the Company of Biology 1865,17:215 - 218

Of the conjugée deviation of the eyes and the rotation of the head in certain cases of hémiplégie. Thesis, Paris, 1868.

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