Who is Dr. Adrien Proust from How Proust Can Change Your Life ; Not a Novel and what is their importance?

Dr. Adrien Proust is the father of Marcel Proust. He was a doctor who was especially interested in public sanitation and protecting the public against such diseases as the bubonic plague and cholera. In this capacity, he toured Europe, consulting with governments and cities about what steps to take to minimize the threat of contagion.