Sad End.

Abstract

Georges Gilles de la Tourette died on May 22, 1904, following a slow mental deterioration associated with general paralysis. After a brief history of the disease and its description, the author examines how Gilles de la Tourette’s illness came to light, why he was committed in Switzerland, and the details of his hospitalization, based on unpublished documents from the Loudun archives. His wife played an essential role, attending to her husband during the three years that preceded his death. Her devotion is evident in the many letters she wrote and received, including her correspondence with a number of medical celebrities.