Page:A cyclopedia of American medical biography vol. 2.djvu/361

 RICHARDSON

321

RICORD

fellow in cutaneous pathology in Rush Medical College, and in 1889 instructor in pathology. During this time he pur- sued his researches on l)lastomycosis. In 1902 he became associate professor of pathology in the ITniversity of Chicago. His next important work in medical research was regarding the Rocky Mountain spotted fever (tick fever), which occupied his attention for several summers. In 1900 his book on "Infec- tion, Immunity and Serum Therapy" apj)eared, which went through three editions antl was a very complete short treatise on the subject. His latest research work concerned the causation of typhus fever (tabardillo), which had been epidemic in Mexico for some time past. When appointed professor of path- ology in the University of Pennsylvania, he acceptetl the position with the under- standing that he was to be free to con- tinue his researches during the winter, spring and summer.

Ricketts was for several j^ears a valued editorial writer on "The Journal" and much of his research work was done under grants made by the Committee on Scien- tific Research of the American Medical Association.

His society membership included the American Association of Pathologists and Bacteriologists, and the Chicago Medical, Clinical and Pathological Societies. He was a persistent, untiring and insatial)le worker, and to this his illness and death were probaljly due, as he was worn out when he died.

A signal honor was shown Dr. Ricketts' memorj^ when Pres. Diaz, of Mexico, directed that the professors and students of the National Medical School be present on the occasion of the removal of the body to Chicago, and that the medical school and institute of bacteriology be draped in mourning three days and the laboratory in which Dr. Ricketts made his investi- gations named " The Howard T. Ricketts Laboratory."

Jour. Am. Med. Assoc, Chicago, May 14,

1910, in which there i.s a portrait.

Mexican Herald, May 4, 1910.

Old Penn., Phila., May, 1910.

Vol. 11-21

Ricord, Philippe (1799-1889).

He was born of French parents at Baltimore, Maryland, December 10, 1799, antl when twenty years old was sent to Paris to study medicine. He was early appointed interne in the surgical service of Dupuytren, but his mischie- vous spirit made him lose his position. The misadventure did not prevent him from continuing his medical studies, and he graduated M. D. in 1820. As he had no means ho practised for two years in country villages. In 1828 he returned to Paris, became surgeon by concourse of the Central Bureau, but for the next two years was ol^ligeil to support himself by courses on operative surgery in La Pitie Hospital. In 1831 he was ap- pointed surgeon-in-chief of the Hospital tlu Midi for syphilis and continued to hold this position until 1800, when he was ol^liged to retire on account of age.

He enjoyed a world-wide reputation in his speciality and was regarded as the highest authority upon it, his clinics being followed by students and jjhysicians from all parts of the world. His researches on syphilis established a rational therapy of that disease. In 1834 he announced his theory on the transmission of the dis- ease, the laws of which he laid down in l)recise terms. He demonstrated that gonorrhea was entirely distinct from syphilis, that constitutional syphilis always starts in an indurated chancre, and that venereal affections are local and general. Medicine is indebted to him also for new methods of curing varicocele and ])erforming urethroplasty, for which he received the Monthyon prize in 1842.

As a teacher he was uneciualled but al- ways refused to teach officially. Elected a memljer of the Academy in 1850, he be- came its jiresident in 1808. In 1852 he became physician to Prince Napoleon ant! in 1809 was apj^ointed consulting surgeon to the Emperor. He attended Napoleon III. in 1809-70 for the disease of the bladder from which he died. In 1870-71 he gained fresh laurels as president of the Lazaretto, during the siege of Paris. He was decorated with a great many orders.