François Chaussier

Life & Legacy

François Chaussier (2 July 1746 – 19 June 1828) was a French anatomist who was a native of Dijon. His name is associated with the Prix Chaussier (Chaussier Prize).
He studied medicine in Besançon, later returning to Dijon, where he worked as a hospital physician. During this time he performed pioneer research in the field of forensic medicine. In 1780 he became a professor of anatomy.
In 1794 he was summoned to Paris by Antoine-François Fourcroy (1755–1809), being given the responsibility of drafting a report on the establishment of learning institutions of health. This report was presented to the National Convention on 27 November 1794.
Afterwards, Chaussier remained in Paris where he became a professor at the École Polytechnique, and a chief obstetrician at the Paris Maternité, where he was a colleague of Jean-Louis Baudelocque (1745–1810). In 1822 Chaussier was elected as a member of the Académie des sciences.
Chaussier is credited for introducing a procedure for revival of "near-dead" newborns. He also performed a descriptive survey of all muscles in the human body, and developed a new system of designation for muscles. He also conducted early investigations of neuralgia.