Summary

Medal les Ecoles de Medecine, 'Schools of Medicine', Issued by France, 1805
Artist: Bertrand Jouannin and Bertrand Andrieu
Minted by Paris Mint

Obverse Description

Laureate head of Napoleon facing right, around, NAPOLEON EMP. ET ROI.; on neck truncation in small lettering, ANDRIEU F.; in fiieild below, DENON DIRT.

Reverse Description

Aesculapius resting at his right on his club, round which is entwined the serpent: on his left, a dwarf figure enveloped in drapery, probably intended to represent disease or convalescence (this figure also identified as his son Tesesphorus); around, ECOLES DE MEDECINE; in exergue, DENON DIREX / JOUANNIN

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

"This medal perpetuates the imperial decree of Napoleon, for the establishment of schools for instruction in the art of medicine in various cities of the empire of France.
The School of Medicine at Paris is situated in the Rue de la Boucherie, and possesses a beautiful and large collection of anatomical preparations and chirurgical instruments, a large library, a magnificent amphitheatre, and a beautiful chemical laboratory; there are twenty professors, two for each branch; also a designer, and a modeller in wax : the students amount generally to above one thousand." Laskey p. 92-93 (written in 1818)

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