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Official journal of the International Society Revue officielle de la ...

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J.J. Virey et <strong>la</strong> naissance <strong>de</strong> <strong>la</strong> chronobiologie, Vesalius, VI, 2, 90-99, 2000Julien Joseph Vireyet <strong>la</strong> naissance <strong>de</strong> <strong>la</strong> chronobiologieA. E. Reinberg & H. LewyRésuméJulien-Joseph Virey (1775-1846) fut pharmacien chef <strong>de</strong> l'Hôpital militaire du Val-<strong>de</strong>-Grâce (1804-1813) Il est connu comme pharmacien novateur, naturaliste, anthropologiste et philosophe <strong>de</strong> <strong>la</strong>nature. Auteur prolifique, touche-à-tout, certaines <strong>de</strong> ses idées furent contestées, parfois durement.Le regain d'intérêt pour son œuvre est du à sa thèse <strong>de</strong> doctorat en mé<strong>de</strong>cine (Paris 1814)consacrée aux rythmes biologiques. Pour Virey, ils ont un caractère «inné»; ils sont contrôlés par<strong>de</strong>s «horloges vivantes» elles mêmes «entraînées» parles variations périodiques <strong>de</strong> l'environnementcomme l'alternance jour/nuit. Il rapporte que les effets <strong>de</strong>s médicaments varient en fonction<strong>de</strong> l'heure <strong>de</strong> leur administration. Mais surtout, il publie <strong>la</strong> première observation quantifiée <strong>de</strong>srythmes circadiens et annuels <strong>de</strong> <strong>la</strong> mortalité humaine.Les résultats <strong>de</strong> métho<strong>de</strong>s statistiques appropriées confirment le bien fondé <strong>de</strong>s vues <strong>de</strong> Virey etpermettent <strong>de</strong> vérifier que les caractéristiques <strong>de</strong> ces rythmes ont peu varié <strong>de</strong>puis 1807 malgréles modifications pr<strong>of</strong>on<strong>de</strong>s <strong>de</strong> notre environnement. Ainsi, Virey fut probablement le premierchronobiologiste.SummaryJulien-Joseph Virey (1775-1846) was pharmacist-in-chief at Val-<strong>de</strong>-Grâce, a military hospital inParis (1804-1813). He is regar<strong>de</strong>d as an innovative pharmacist, a naturalist, an anthropologist anda philosopher <strong>of</strong> nature. Virey was a prolific author, with writings encompassing a wi<strong>de</strong> range <strong>of</strong>interests, although many <strong>of</strong> his i<strong>de</strong>as were sometimes harshly contested.The renewal <strong>of</strong>interest in Virey's work is based on his doctoral <strong>the</strong>sis in medicine (Paris 1814), <strong>the</strong>first one ever <strong>de</strong>voted to biological rhythms. According to Virey, biological rhythms are "innate incharacter" and are controled by "living docks" which <strong>the</strong>mselves are "entrained" (synchronized) byenvironmental periodic changes e.g. day/night alternation. He reported as well that <strong>the</strong> effects <strong>of</strong>drugs vary according to <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir administration. But above ail, he published a table withquantified time séries showing circadian and annual mortality rhythms in humans. Results <strong>of</strong>appropriate statistical analyses confirm Virey's views and show that <strong>the</strong> characteristics <strong>of</strong> thèserhythms hâve changed very little since 1807 <strong>de</strong>spite major changes in environmental conditions.Thus, Virey may be consi<strong>de</strong>red <strong>the</strong> foun<strong>de</strong>r <strong>of</strong> chronobiology.IntroductionA<strong>la</strong>in E. Reinberg, Unité <strong>de</strong> Chronobiologie. FondationA. <strong>de</strong> Rothschild. 29, rue Manin, 75940 Parisce<strong>de</strong>x 19, France.Hadas Lewy, Department <strong>of</strong> Human Genetics andMolecu<strong>la</strong>r Medicine, Faculty <strong>of</strong> Medicine, Tel AvivUniversity; 69978, POB 39040, IsraëlJulien Joseph Virey (figure 1), né à Hortes(Haute-Marne) en 1775 et décédé à Paris en1846 fut un auteur particulièrement prolifiquedans plusieurs domaines <strong>de</strong>s sciences <strong>de</strong> <strong>la</strong> vie(1, 2). La liste complète <strong>de</strong> ses publications,90

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