1771-1802

French Anatomist, Physician and Pathologist

The great French anatomist and physician Marie-François-Xavier Bichat is remembered for his pioneering work in anatomy and histology. Bichat's attempt to create a new system for understanding the structure of the body culminated in the tissue doctrine of animal anatomy. Bichat's approach involved studying the body in terms of organs, which were then dissected and analyzed into their fundamental structural and vital elements, called "tissues." Bichat was the son of a respected doctor and was expected to enter the same profession. After studying medicine at Montpellier, Bichat continued his surgical training at the Hôtel Dieu in Lyons. The turmoil caused by the French Revolution, however, forced him to leave the city for service in the army. In 1793 he was able to resume his studies in Paris and became the disciple of the eminent surgeon...