François Mauriceau

François Mauriceau (* 1637 in Paris, † October 17th 1709 in Paris) was a French physician, surgeon and obstetrician.

As an obstetrician made ​​him his accurate and detailed observations and examinations of the fetus, the pregnant uterus of the female pelvis and obstetrics techniques to an exceptional doctor in his time. The results of his observations were collected by him and published in an obstetrical textbook with a collection of case studies. It appeared, as well as the midwives textbooks, not in the former scientific language Latin, but in French.

Life and work

After studying surgery, he was dean of the College of St. Cosmas, you Prévôt collège de chirurgie Saint -Côme. He then specialized in obstetrics and was first obstetrician at the Hôtel- Dieu de Paris, premier médecin accoucheur de l' Hôtel- Dieu.

Mauriceau was one of the leading obstetricians in the 17th century in Europe. With its publication from 1668 Traité des Maladies des Femmes et Accouchées Large, treatise on the diseases of pregnancy and birth, he was one of the doctors who established obstetrics as a science.

With the English obstetrician Dynasty by Peter Chamberlen (1560-1631) and his descendants he analyzed critically, so handle it at this because of their secrecy around the development and application of them constructed or improved forceps. He reached also joined many of his colleagues at that time that attitude.

Mauriceau is also associated with improving birth classical techniques, such as the approach to a breech presentation, in conjunction. He gave a description of the ectopic pregnancy ( tubal pregnancy ), simultaneously with and independent of the German midwife Justine wins Mundin. He described, from the understanding of his time, the clinical picture of eclampsia, these seizures differed and brought them in connection with pregnancy.

The cesarean sectio Caesarea he was critical of, so in his Traité des maladies des femmes et des large accouchées (1668 ). Survived but, in the 17th century, almost none of the pregnant women with such an intervention.

Works (selection)

• Les Maladies des Femmes et accouchées large. Avec la bonne et véritable Méthode de les bien aider en leurs accouchemens naturels, & les moyens de ceux qui sont tous à remédier contre -nature, & aux indispositions of enfans nouveau - nés ... Paris Henault, d' Houry, de Ninville, Coignard (1668 )
• Observations sur la grossesse et l' accouchement des femmes et leurs sur maladies et celles of enfans nouveau - nez. Paris, Anisson, ( 1694 )