Dominique Jean Larrey

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Dominique Jean Larrey, portrait by Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson, beginning of 19th century.

Dominique Jean Larrey ( July 8, 1766 – July 25, 1842 ) was a French surgeon in Napoleon's army.

He was born in the little village of Beaudéan, in the Pyrenees to bourgeois parents, who later moved to Bordeaux. Larrey was orphaned at the age of 13. He was then raised by his uncle Alexis, who was chief surgeon in Toulouse. After serving a 6-year apprenticeship, he went to Paris to study under the great Desault, who was chief surgeon at the Hôtel Dieu. But his studies were cut short by war.

Larrey was surgeon-in-chief of the Napoleonic armies from Italy in 1797 to Waterloo in 1815. During this time, he initiated the modern method of army surgery, field hospitals and the system of army ambulance corps. After seeing the speed with which the carriages of the French flying artillery maneuvered across the battlefields, Larrey adapted them as Flying Ambulances for rapid transport of the wounded and manned them with trained crews of drivers, corpsmen and litterbearers. Larrey also increased the mobility and improved the organization of field hospitals, effectively creating a forerunner of the modern MASH units. A favorite of the Emperor, he was ennobled as a Baron on the field of Wagram in 1809.

After Waterloo, he was taken prisoner by the Prussians and condemned to death. However, he was recognized by one of the German surgeons, who pleaded for his life. Perhaps partly because he had saved the life of Blücher's son when he was wounded and taken prisoner by the French, he was pardoned and taken back to France under escort. He devoted the remainder of his life to writing and a civilian medical career. He died on July 25, 1842 in Lyon

Often considered the first modern military surgeon, Larrey's writings are still regarded as valuable sources of surgical and medical knowledge, have been translated into all modern languages.

[edit] References in Popular Culture

In the computer game Age of Empires III, the player can employ field surgeons to both heal units and build field hospitals. These are most likely referring to Larrey's work in army surgery. He is also mentioned in the history portion of the game. Larrey was also mentioned by the fictional diagnostician Dr. Gregory House in the series two episode Distractions of House.