[Raspail, Don Quixote of camphor!].

Abstract

François Vincent Raspail (1794-1878) was a chemist and a politician who practised medicine illegally : for him, all pathologies were almost exclusively caused by "parasites" and he treated them all thanks to the beneficial effects of camphor. Raspail did not invent nor discover that substance, which was broadly used in the 18th century, but he codified the use of its various pharmaceutical forms thanks to what would be later called "Raspail's method": camphor to eat (lumps), to snuff (powder), to smoke (cigarettes), brandy and 32° camphored alcohol, camphored oil and sedative water... Since Raspail lavished his patients with many hygiene pieces of advice and moral principles, this method--that was actually a prolongation of his political action in favour of the very poor--was a complete success among the population. But this success was also due to the simplicity of the remedy, its relative harmlessness and, above all, to an incredibly efficient advertising since he enjoyed the support of many important people and also published a very successful book, his Manuel annuaire de Santé, that was re-edited 77 times.