Paul Rohmer

Personal

Vocation

Notable

Alsacian physician considered the father of modern paediatrics in eastern France after World War I. Rohmer was a pioneer in research into prematurity, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, osteomalacia and vitamin C. In 1920, Rohmer created the "Alsatian and Lorrainian Association of Nursery", the first one in France. The impacts of the work of this association were so huge that in 1945, more were created in France, on this model, the "National Mother and Childhood Protection" (also known as PMI (in French)). He was the director of the pediatric clinic of Strasbourg until his retirement in 1947, and made it famous all around Europe. In 1946, he wrote with Robert Debré a famous manual entitled "Traité de Pathologie Infantile" (2,500 pages, two volumes) which became a reference for a whole generation of pediatricians. During his career, he was the physician of famous children, including those of the King of Belgium, of Konrad Adenauer, and of Pierre Pflimlin. He died on 2 March 1977, aged 100, in Srasbourg. Link to Wikipedia biography