[In the footsteps of Dr. François Ribes, surgeon of the 1st division of the so-called ambulance of the battlefield].

Abstract

François Ribes was a surgeon at Emperor Napoleon's so called ambulance of the battle field but he is not well known despite his high offices. On his record of service there are 20 battles, 17 fights and 3 sieges during the Revolution and Empire. Beside his numerous campaigns he was a surgeon at the parisian Invalides Hospital and was highly thought of as a good anatomist. He wrote 84 articles and 47 memoirs of which the best known is entitled History of the autopsy and embalming of Louis XVIII's corpse. However, as a health officer, he only wrote 40 pages about his military campaigns, published in 1845.