Ranvier Methods

L. A. Ranvier (Ranive or Renvier), French neuropathologist and psychiatrist, was born on January 29, 1835 in Choncorbery (present-day Saorgis, Nantes department) in the family of Lanzon-Bremont, one of the city's respected tobacco merchants. He studied medicine in Nantes and then entered the military medical service, where he served for two years. Returning to Nantes at the end of his term of service, he resumed his studies at the medical school founded by his uncle until June 1, 1861, when he received his diploma in Edinburgh. For three years he trained under the supervision of several psychiatrists specializing in the field of epilepsy. In 1857 he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine and after that went into private practice. On March 6, 1959, he married Anna Lalor, who died in 1901. He published the first scientific works, still of significance, in the Nantes Journal of Psychiatry and Neurology, published by A. Lesure, biographer and great-nephew of J. Lecoutre, the founder of Sirrini, whom L. A. considered his mentor. "The Disorder of the Mind Caused by Epilepsy" (On the Psychosis of Epilepsy) was his first publication, followed in the same year by "A Case of Severe Epileptic Insanity" (De mentali grave epilepticorum), then "The Unfortunate Disease of Homer" (L'infirmité maudite de Gomere), etc. Two years later he quit his job in Nantes and moved to Paris, closer to the main center of activity of the French-American Society of Psychiatrists at the Salpêtrière Clinic. He had considerable knowledge of the English language and translated two books by Kaufman and Aron