Guillaume de Baillou

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Guillaume de Baillou (Latin:Ballonius) (1538-1616) was a French physician who was a native of Paris. He studied at the University of Paris, where he was a pupil of Jean Fernel (1497-1558). He attained his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1568, and his medical doctorate in 1570. He was an instructor in Paris for 46 years, and eventually became dean of the Faculty of Medicine. For a period of time he was personal physician to Henry IV (1553-1610).

Guillaume de Baillou is considered to be the first epidemiologist since Hippocrates, and is sometimes referred to as the founder of modern epidemiology. He did extensive studies of epidemics that plagued Paris, and is credited with providing the first clinical description of pertussis (whooping cough) in 1578. He also provided the first modern descriptions of rheumatism and arthritis, which he defined in his treatise Liber de Rheumatismo et Pleuritide dorsali.