Medical Hydrology and Balneology: Environmental Aspects

Clinical practice and scientific investigation in a
French spa resort: the Professor Pau Valdiguié
example
Roques CF (1) , Valdiguie P (2)
(1) Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine, Paul sabatier University. Toulouse. France
(2) Clinical Pathology. Paul SabatierUniversity. Toulouse. France
cf.roques@gmail.com
Introduction and Objectives
Professor Paul Valdiguié (1907-1988) was a clinical pathology professor of the
Toulouse University and a consulting physician in Ax les Thermes, a sulfide steam
and water resort in the Pyrenees mountains, in the South of France. He graduated in
Toulouse University as a pharmacist (1929) and as a medical doctor (1934). He
became professor of clinical pathology at 32 in 1939 (Toulouse Medicine and
Pharmacy Faculty). He acted as a consulting physician during 27 years (1935-
1962), mainly involved in the treatment of patients with rheumatic conditions.
Materials and Methods
As a consulting physician in Ax-les-Thermes, he administrated mineral water
using intra-dermal, transdermal, or intramuscular injections (an authorized treatment
at that time) to the rheumatic patients attending balneotherapy in the resort;
his clinical works were aimed at the chronic rheumatic conditions (osteo-arthritis,
inflammatory chronic joint diseases, gout) investigating the therapeutic efficiency
of balneotherapy and/or mineral water injections.
As a scientist he participated in the Ax les Thermes Laboratory, a Toulouse university
research unit; the director was Professor Fernand Caujolle (1901-1988) a
chemistry and toxicology professor in Toulouse University and the papers were
published in a particular review issued 4 times a year (the Annals of Ax les
Thermes Laboratory). But many works were also implemented in his own clinical
pathology laboratory. The main topics investigated were: actions of sulfide
balneotherapy on the glucidic and on the polypeptidic metabolisms; actions of
sulfide balneotherapy on the endocrine system (thyroid using the basic metabolism
determination; adrenocortex measuring 17-ceto and 17-OH corticosteroids) and the
anti-oxidant system by the study of the action of Sulfide balneotherapy on the
gluthation-reductase. He also developed a chemical dosage of SH2.
Results
He put an end to his clinical implication in Ax les Thermes in 1962 to create, in
Toulouse University Hospital, the clinical pathology central laboratory which he
Balnea
2012, núm. 6, 278-279
278
ISBN: 978-84-669-1887-0
978-84-669-3482-4