Paul Heger, maître d’oevre des instituts d’enseignements et de recherche en sciences médicales voulus par Ernest Solvay à Bruxelles (1891-1895)

Abstract

Paul Heger, director of the Solvay-institutes for medical training and research in Brussels (1891-1895) It is impossible to trace the history of 19th and 20th century Belgian medicine without evoking the personality of Paul Heger (1846-1925), professor at the Free University of Brussels, physiologist and propagator of experimental medicine. Heger exerted his influence on Belgian scientific life as much by his scientific work as trough his activities as a practical organiser. To facilitate the integration of experimental medicine and research, Heger 'build' and directed several institutes for research and medical training: the Instituts Solvay for physiology (1892), for hygiene, bacteriology and therapeutics (1892) and for anatomy and histology (1898), all situated at the 'Cite scientifique' of the Pare Leopold (Brussels) . Heger was guided by two ideas. First, he carried the conviction that theory should be supported by laboratory research and that progress in medicine will he achieved by the integration of the pure sciences (biochemistry, chemistry). Second, the results of this research should be presented to the students already during medical training. Heger was indeed much involved in the reform of the curriculum at the Brussels Faculty of Medicine.