Joseph Jules Francois Felix Babinski

Joseph Jules Francois Felix Babinski

Joseph Jules Francois Felix Babinski was born on November 1, 1857 in Paris, France where he also died October 29, 1932 at the age of 75. His parents were of Russian decent and flew to Paris in 1848 to escape a “reign of terror” that was plaguing Russia at the time (“Joseph“, n.d.). Even when he was younger, Babinski was said to be a quiet, docile individual.
Jean-Martin Charcot was Babinski’s teacher when he was a student of medicine. Babinski held Charcot in very high regard and felt a deep gratitude for Charcot. When Charcot died in 1894, the pillar of support that had guided Babinski along his journey had suddenly been taken away. Due to the loss of his mentor and friend, Babinski failed to compete for the title of “professeur agrege”, which is the step before advancement to “professeur de la chair”, or full professor (“Joseph“, n.d.).
Although Babinski never reached “professeur de la chair”, he became “chef de clinique” at the Hopital de la Pitie located in Paris in 1895. In 1914, Babinski became a member of the honored Academie de medecine. Because Babinski never reached the pinnacle of full professor, he had more time to observe in the clinic rather than to be bound to study laboratory examinations and the like. This led him to discoveries that may not have been available if he were in a “higher” position (“Joseph“, n.d.).
Of Babinski’s many accomplishments, writings and discoveries, he was most known for “recogniz[ing] the significance and the importance of the inversion of the plantar cutaneous reflex which translates an attack of the pyramidal system controlling fine motricity” (Lambert, n.d.). This 1896 discovery can be observed when the lateral boarder of the foot is stimulated resulting in the flexing of the big toe and may be accompanied by fanning of the other toes (“Babinski reflex”, 2000). Commonly called Babinski’s sign or Babinski’s test, the reflex can be observed in infants but is usually perceived in individuals with disturbance of the pyramidal tract.
Babinski was the first individual to describe “differential diagnostical criteria for separating hysteria from organic diseases” (“Joseph“, n.d.). While Charcot was alive, he discovered a new disease called hystero-epilepsy which he persuaded Charcot and others was a doctor-induced ailment.
After discovering “his” sign, Babinski made a number of observations and discoveries along side other neuroanatomists. In 1890 Babinski observed a pituitary tumor associated with adiposo-genital syndrome, which is still identified as the Babinski-Frohlich syndrome. In 1892 he observed symptoms from the lesions located in the postero-lateral part of the pons, still called the Babinski-Nageotte syndrome. Babinski also coined the terms ataxia and dysdiokinesia when dealing with lesions of the cerebellum (“Joseph“, n.d.). Babinski’s work with spinal canal tumors around the time of 1911 helped mark the “rebrith of French neurosurgery” (Joseph, 2003).
Babinski retired in 1922 from the Hopital de la Pitie. In later life he suffered from Parkinson’s disease and later died on December 13, 1932 (“Joseph“, n.d.). Babinski was a extraordinary scientist and clinician that gave much to the field of neuroanatomy and helped pave the way for further anatomists, not only in France, but world-wide.

References

Babinski reflex. (2000). The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflen Co. Retrieved October 20, 2003 from http://www.bartleby.com/61/40/B0004000.html
Joseph Jules Francois Felix Babinski. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2003 from http://whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/370.html.
Lambert, J.F. (n.d.). BABINSKI Joseph Francois Felix. Retrieved October 20, 2003 from http://www.upsy.net/upsychologie/ancetres/babinski.html (translated to English).

Pictures of Babinski and his sign
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