Introduction: Urology as a separate recognised surgical specialty started in France in 1890 when Félix Guyon was nominated as ‘Professeur d’Urologie’ at the University of Paris and opened the first department of Urology. This development originated from Urogenital Surgery as a consequence of the principles of the French Revolution.
This study aims at documenting the mechanisms and individuals that explain how the French Revolution was the basis for the birth of Urology.
Methods: Based on a literature search and additional research of original documents, the development of Urogenital Surgery into Urology after the French Revolution was documented and studied.
Results: Before the French Revolution there was no well organized healthcare in France and by extension in Europe. Medical treatment was performed by travelling quacks (a.o. stone cutters/lithotomists) and surgeon-barbers. However, the French Revolution of 1789 caused a radical change also in medicine. The social role of the medical system was questioned, and medical doctors were considered corrupt and useless. The revolutionaries established ‘new style’ hospitals and adapted medical training with early practical training. The ‘Collegia Medica’(guilds of doctors) were abolished, and the development of medical (sub)specialties was promoted.
Several medical doctors interested in urogenital pathology were early revolutionaries and promoted the early developments of Urogenital Surgery into a separate specialty with specific training. Amongst them Jean Paul Marat, Pierre Joseph DESAULT ,François CHOPART and Marie François Xavier BICHAT. Also Joseph SOUBERBIELLE (1754-1846), who performed >1200 suprapubic lithotomies, and was a descendant of the famous perineal lithotomist Jean Baseilhac (Frère Côme), was an active revolutionary. Jean CIVIALE (1792–1867) one of the first proto-urologist studied with Souberbielle and started a specific department for “Surgery of the Urinary Tract” in 1829. His pupil Jean Casimir Félix GUYON (1831-1920) accepted in 1890 a nomination as ‘Professeur d’Urologie’, and changed the name of his department into ‘Service d’Urologie’. This was the start of Urology as a recognized separate surgical specialty.
Conclusions: The French Revolution changed medicine significantly and (sub)specialization was initiated. Several urogenital surgeons were politically active during the French Revolution and promoted Urogenital Surgery, leading to proto-Urology and in 1890 to the birth of Urology as a separate recognised surgical specialty.
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