Robert Deschiens (1895-1978)

French physician and biologist, born on March 12, 1895 on the Ile Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis, France). His father, a chemical engineer, founded a pharmaceutical company.
1912 Obtained a scientific baccalaureate.
1913 Performed his preliminary certificate to the studies of medicine PCN (Physics Chemistry Natural Sciences).
1915 Mobilized as an auxiliary doctor and contracted typhoid fever.
1919 Externship at the Hospitals of Paris ; entered the laboratory of parasitology of the Faculty of Medicine in Paris, directed by E. Brumpt.
1921 Thesis defense for medical doctorate ; the dissertation topic concerned enteritis caused by the microorganism Gardia.
1922-1927 Appointed head of laboratory at the Hospitals of Paris at the Hôpital Saint-Antoine. Became a member of the French Zoological Society.
1924 Became a member of the Society of Exotic Pathology (SPE).
1925 Attended the course of microbiology at the Institut Pasteur.
1925-1926 As a volunteer during the Rift War (Morocco), he was appointed head of laboratory at the Fez Hospital ; conducted a research mission on the amoebiasis and epidemiology of malaria on behalf of the Ministry of War.
1926 Entered the F. Mesnil's laboratory as an assistant, at the Institut Pasteur of Paris.
1930 Received the Desportes Prize and the Boulongne Prize of the Academy of Medicine.
1931 Became a member of the French Society of Hematology.
1931-1978 Elected Secretary General of the Society of exotic pathology (SPE).
1935 Promoted Knight of the Legion of Honor.
1936 Entered the E. Roubaud's entomology laboratory at the Institut Pasteur of Paris.
1938 Appointed head of laboratory at the Institut Pasteur ; became a member of the Committee for Overseas France on behalf of the Higher Council for Scientific Research ; became a member of the French Society of Biology.
1940 Received theCroix de Guerre.
1941-1963 Head of the department of parasitology at the Institut Pasteur (Paris).
1943 Received the Barbier Prize of the French Academy of Sciences.
1947 Promoted Officer of the Legion of honor.
1949-1950 Participated in a mission to French West Africa (AOF) : Senegal, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso, where he studied bilharziasis and its treatment.
1951 Became a WHO's expert for bilharziasis and carried out numerous missions, part of which enabled him to produce epidemiology and health education films.
1951-1952 Carried out a mission to Guadeloupe and Martinique where he studied parasitic eosinophilia and bilharziasis.
1960 WHO's mission for studying bilharziosis in Egypt.
1961 WHO's mission for studying lymphatic filariasis and rickettsial diseases in Turkey.
1962 Participated in missions for studying bilharzioses in Egypt, Syria, Greece and Morocco.
1963 Retired from the Institut Pasteur.
1963-1965 Carried out successive missions to Morocco and Cameroon for studying bilharziasis.
1965 Elected member of the Academy of Sciences of Overseas ; promoted Commander of the Order of the Legion of Honor.
1966 Received the Bréant Prize from the Academy of Sciences ; mission to Morocco, Gabon and Tunisia.
1967-1969 Carried out missions to Morocco, Cameroon, Chad and the Central African republic.
1970 Carried out missions for studying bilharziasis, onchocerciasis and malaria in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Morocco.
1971 Carried out missions for monitoring bilharziasis and onchocerciasis in Cameroon, Congo, Central African republic, Gabon and Chad.
1971-1972 Missions in Egypt, then Sudan, in order to evaluate the epidemiological impact of the filling of Lake Nasser.
1974 Mission to Morocco and Ivory Coast in order to study the impact of the creation of artificial lakes.
14/01/1978 Death in Paris.

Publications in collaboration with : A. Adetonah, J. André, N. Ayad, J. Bablet, J. Bénex, D. Bertrand, H. Bijan, H. Brottes, J. Callot, R. Camain, M. Capponi, P. Carvaillo, A. Chabaud, A. Chippaux, Colllomb, J. Clier, Mme Ch. Coste, J. Cottet, J. Courdurier, E. Courmes, M. Dechancé, Ph. Decourt, A. Delas, J. Demarchi, R. Depeux, G. Dezest, Ch., Dopter, J. -F. Duplan, El Kohen, P. J. Estival, P. Fauran, H. et Th. Floch, E. Flye Sainte-Marie, M. Gagé, P. Gallais, H. Galliard, A. Gamet, P. Giroud, E. Gourvil, H. Jacotot, J. Jadin, M. Jaupitre, C. Jouan, N.Kipchidze, Mlle E. Lambault, L. Lambault, L. Lamy, J. Laurent, G. Lavier, J. Lecomte, Y. Le Corroller, P. Le Noir, P. Lépine, J. Levaditi, D. Libermann, H. Limousin, F. Litalien, Don M. Luigi, Mlle C. Lussy, R. Mandoul, G. Marchal, J. Mauze, P. Melnotte, V. Molinari, M. Moutrille, L. Mvogo, R. Néel, M. Neveu-Lemaire, S. Ngalle-Edimo, L. Nicol, Soeur Notre Dame de Paris, Paillas, I. et S. Pastac, R. Pfister, F. Pick, M. Poirier, A. Provost, H. M. Ragal, R. Renaudet, R. Reynaud, N. Rist, R. Romand, E. Roubaud, F. Rouffilange, U. Sarauw, J. Saulnier, F. Sénécal, P. Sureau, M. Tahiri, O. Taillandier, M. Toudoire, J. Troisier, A. Vallée, M. Vaucel, E. Vautrin, C. Vermeil, J. Vincent, A. Yucel, D. Zoulek.

Bibliography :
- Deschiens (Robert),Titles and scientific works, 1953, 1971 and supplement 1974.
- Giroud (Paul), Robert Deschiens' Obituary inBulletin of the Society of Exotic Pathology, 1978, Nø71, pp 499-501.

CeRIS' Archives Division (Institut Pasteur)