Marie Boivin
Encyclopedia
Marie Boivin was a French
midwife and obstetrics
writer.
Marie Anne Victoire Gillain was born in Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis
, and educated in a nunnery in Étampes
, where her talents attracted the attention of Madame Elisabeth, sister of King Louis XVI
. When the nunnery was destroyed during the French Revolution
, she spent three years studying anatomy
and midwifery. In 1797 she married a government bureaucrat, Louis Boivin, but he died shortly thereafter, leaving her with a daughter and little money. She became a midwife at a local hospital, and in 1801 became its superintendent. In that role she convinced Jean-Antoine Chaptal
to add a special school of obstetrics.
In the subsequent years she served as co-director or director at a number of hospitals, including the General Hospital for Seine and Oise (1814), a temporary military hospital (1815), the Hospice de la Maternité, and the Maison Royal de Santé. Her Mémorial de l'art des accouchements (1817) went through several editions. She was granted an honorary M.D.
(1828) by the University of Marburg, and was invested with an order of merit
by the King of Prussia
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
midwife and obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
writer.
Marie Anne Victoire Gillain was born in Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis
Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis
Montreuil is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. It is the third most populous suburb of Paris...
, and educated in a nunnery in Étampes
Étampes
Étampes is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southwest from the center of Paris . Étampes is a sub-prefecture of the Essonne department....
, where her talents attracted the attention of Madame Elisabeth, sister of King Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
. When the nunnery was destroyed during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, she spent three years studying anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
and midwifery. In 1797 she married a government bureaucrat, Louis Boivin, but he died shortly thereafter, leaving her with a daughter and little money. She became a midwife at a local hospital, and in 1801 became its superintendent. In that role she convinced Jean-Antoine Chaptal
Jean-Antoine Chaptal
Jean-Antoine Claude, comte Chaptal de Chanteloup was a French chemist and statesman. He established chemical works for the manufacture of the mineral acids, soda and other substances...
to add a special school of obstetrics.
In the subsequent years she served as co-director or director at a number of hospitals, including the General Hospital for Seine and Oise (1814), a temporary military hospital (1815), the Hospice de la Maternité, and the Maison Royal de Santé. Her Mémorial de l'art des accouchements (1817) went through several editions. She was granted an honorary M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
(1828) by the University of Marburg, and was invested with an order of merit
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit is a British dynastic order recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture...
by the King of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
.