Jean Bernard

Jean Bernard is a distinguished French haematologist and medical scientist. He was born in Paris and graduated in medicine there in 1926. He was influenced by the paediatrician Robert Debré (1882-1978), and by Paul Chevallier who was the leading French haematologist of the day. He commenced his laboratory training with the bacteriologist Gaston Ramon (1886-1963) at the Pasteur Institute in 1929.

Bernard was professor of haematology and director of the Institute for Leukaemia at the University of Paris for many years. His research has ranged from the demonstration of neoplastic nature of leukaemia (1933-1937) to the formulation of methods of treatment. In 1932 Bernard gave the first description of the use of high dosage radiotherapy in the treatment of Hodgkin's disease.

During the German occupation of France, Bernard was active in the French resistance – le maquis. He was jailed and during his incarceration composed poetry which was later entitled «Survivance».

A prolific writer, Bernard has 14 textbooks and monographs on the subject of haematology. He was a founder of the science of geographic haematology. He has been awarded honorary doctorates from universities in many parts of the world, and in 1983 he was president of Académie des Sciences de l'Institut de France.

We thank René Dreuille for information submitted.