René Laënnec
Born 1781 · Age 244
French physician and inventor of the stethoscope; pioneer of mediate auscultation and clinical diagnosis of chest diseases.
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Life & Career Timeline
Birth in Quimper, Brittany, France
René-Théophile-Hyacinthe Laennec was born in Quimper, Brittany.
Mother died of tuberculosis; moved into great-uncle's care
At age five his mother Michelle Félicité Guesdon died of tuberculosis; Laennec went to live with his great-uncle the Abbé Laennec.
Moved to Nantes to live with uncle (Dean of Medicine)
At about age 12 he went to Nantes where his uncle Guillaume-François Laennec, dean of medicine at the University of Nantes, influenced his medical training.
First hospital experience at Hôtel-Dieu, Nantes
By age 14 he was assisting in patient care at the Hôtel-Dieu in Nantes, learning surgical dressings and bedside care.
Appointed surgeon at Hôtel-Dieu / third-class surgeon in Military Hospital
At 18 he served as a third-class surgeon in the Military Hospital in Nantes and was appointed surgeon at the Hôtel-Dieu (June 1799).
Moved to Paris; entered École Pratique
Laennec went to Paris and entered the École Pratique, studying anatomy and dissection (laboratory of Guillaume Dupuytren).
Studied under leading physicians (Dupuytren, Corvisart, Bichat)
Began studies with prominent teachers including Guillaume Dupuytren, Jean-Nicolas Corvisart and Marie-François-Xavier Bichat.
Awarded first prizes in medicine and surgery
Within a year of entering École Pratique he obtained the first prizes in both medicine and surgery.
Served as editor of Journal de Médecine (early career)
Worked as an editor of the Journal de Médecine, increasing his academic profile (date circa 1802–1805).
Published first medical paper; early publications on pathology
Published his first paper (June 1802) and several other papers on peritonitis, amenorrhea and liver disease while still a student.
First lecture on melanoma; coined term 'melanose'
While still a student he lectured on melanotic lesions (melanose) and recognized metastatic melanoma (lecture 1804).
Health and family setbacks interrupt work
Family troubles, financial difficulties and the death of his uncle (tuberculosis) disturbed his work and affected his health.
Graduated in medicine; defended thesis
Graduated in medicine with thesis 'Propositions sur la doctrine d’Hippocrate, relativement á la médecine practique' (1804).
Became associate of Société de l'École de Médecine
In July 1804 he became an associate of the Society of the School of Medicine in Paris.
Returned to Paris; became editor-shareholder of Journal de Médecine
After recuperation in Brittany he returned to Paris and became editor-shareholder of the Journal de Médecine to supplement income and reputation.
Publication of melanoma lecture
His lecture on melanoma was published (sources cite 1805–1806 for publication of the lecture).
Developed and published early pathological-anatomy articles
During this period he published numerous pathological-anatomy articles and gained reputation (paving way for later clinic work).
Appointed personal physician to Cardinal Joseph Fesch
Accepted appointment as personal physician to Cardinal Joseph Fesch (uncle/half-brother link to Napoleon).
Founded the Athénée Médical
On his own initiative he founded the Athénée Médical in 1808 (later merged with the Société Académique de Paris).
Took charge of wards at Salpêtrière Hospital
During the Napoleonic Wars (1812–1813) Laennec took charge of wards at the Salpêtrière Hospital, treating wounded Breton soldiers.
Cardinal Fesch exiled; Laennec lost role
Cardinal Fesch was exiled after the fall of Napoleon in 1814, ending Laennec's service as his physician.
Appointed physician at Hôpital Necker
After the return of the monarchy, in 1816 he accepted a post as physician at the Hôpital Necker in Paris.
Built first stethoscope (rolled paper then wooden cylinder)
Laennec developed a mediate auscultation instrument: initially rolled paper, then a hollow wooden cylinder ~25 cm long to transmit chest sounds.
Observation inspiring the stethoscope (rolled-paper experiment)
In September 1816 he observed children transmitting sound down a wooden rod, then rolled a paper cylinder and used it to auscultate a woman—this inspired the stethoscope.
Experimented and refined stethoscope designs (1816–1819)
Spent approximately three years testing materials and designs, refining the instrument into separable parts and funnel-shaped chest piece.
Presented stethoscope findings to French Academy of Sciences
Presented his research and early results with mediate auscultation to the Academy in 1818, gaining scientific interest.
Shift from immediate to mediate auscultation established
Laennec's advocacy for mediate (indirect) auscultation using an instrument supplanted, over time, the prior practice of placing the ear directly on the chest.
Published De l’Auscultation Médiate (two-volume treatise)
Published the landmark two-volume 'De l’Auscultation Médiate ou Traité du Diagnostic des Maladies des Poumon et du Coeur' (On Mediate Auscultation).
Established correlation of chest sounds with autopsy findings
Using his stethoscope and autopsy correlations he classified lung and heart sounds and diseases (pneumonia, bronchiectasis, pleurisy, emphysema, pneumothorax, phthisis).
Coined terms and clinical signs (rales, rhonchi, egophony, etc.)
Initiated or popularized clinical auscultation terms still used today: rales, rhonchi, crepitance, egophony, pectoriloquy and classifications of pulmonary conditions.
Standardized wooden stethoscope dimensions adopted (historic)
Laennec's preferred wooden stethoscope was a hollow tube ~25 cm long and roughly 3.5 cm in diameter (monoaural), separable into parts with a funnel chest piece.
Named cirrhosis (Laennec's cirrhosis)
Laennec gave the disease 'cirrhosis' its name (from Greek 'kirrhos' meaning tawny) describing micronodular liver changes.
First clinical descriptions of multiple chest diseases
Authored first descriptions of pneumonia, bronchiectasis, pleurisy, emphysema and pneumothorax based on stethoscopic findings and autopsy correlation.
Physicians throughout Europe visited Paris to learn mediate auscultation
Following publication, physicians from across Europe came to Paris to observe Laennec's methods and instrument.
First English translation of De l’Auscultation Médiate published (London)
John Forbes' English translation was published in London in 1821, spreading Laennec's methods internationally.
Appointed chair and professor of medicine at Collège de France
In July 1822 Laennec was appointed to the chair and became professor of medicine at the Collège de France.
Became full member of the French Academy of Medicine
In January 1823 he became a full member of the French Academy of Medicine.
Professor at the medical clinic of the Hôpital de la Charité; head of clinic
In 1823 he accepted the professorship and headship of the medical clinic at the Hôpital de la Charité in Paris.
International lecturing and many students
As a lecturer at Charité and Collège de France he became internationally renowned; large numbers of physicians attended his demonstrations.
Married Jacquette Guichard
Laennec married Jacquette Guichard in 1824; the couple had no surviving children (wife suffered a miscarriage).
Awarded Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
In August 1824 Laennec was made a chevalier (knight) of the French Legion of Honour.
Will and bequest to nephew (papers, watch, ring, stethoscope)
In his will Laennec bequeathed his scientific papers, watch, ring and 'above all, my stethoscope' to his nephew Mériadec.
Revised edition of De l’Auscultation Médiate published
Laennec worked on and a revised edition correlating stethoscopic sounds with autopsy findings was published in 1826.
Nephew Mériadec auscultated Laennec; diagnosed tuberculosis
Laennec asked his nephew to auscultate his chest; the familiar stethoscopic findings confirmed cavitating tuberculosis.
Recognized as father of clinical auscultation
By his death Laennec was acknowledged as the founder of mediate auscultation and modern thoracic diagnosis; his techniques remained core to clinical practice.
Health decline; left Paris for Brittany (May 1826)
By May 1826 fever, cough and breathlessness forced Laennec to leave Paris and return to Brittany seeking relief.
Death from cavitating tuberculosis at Kerlouanec
Laennec fell into a coma and died of tuberculosis on 13 August 1826, at age 45.
John Forbes annotated English treatise edition (posthumous)
The annotated English translation 'A Treatise on the Diseases of the Chest and on Mediate Auscultation' (Forbes) appeared in editions during 1835/1838, extending Laennec's influence.
Binaural stethoscope concept introduced (posthumous evolution)
While not Laennec's own act, later improvements (binaural stethoscope, A. Leared 1851; G.P. Cammann 1852) built on Laennec's invention and standardized modern form.
Commemorated on U.S. Christmas seal
Laennec was celebrated posthumously in the United States on a Christmas seal issued in 1938.
Google Doodle commemorates 235th birthday
Google marked Laennec's 235th birthday with a Google Doodle on 17 February 2016.
Key Achievement Ages
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