Augusta Déjerine-Klumpke defined a specific brachial plexus palsy that remains a foundational diagnosis in modern clinical neurology. Born in San Francisco in 1859, she moved to Europe as a child, eventually becoming the first woman to secure a medical internship within the Paris hospital system, fundamentally altering the trajectory for female clinicians in France.
Medical Education and Early Breakthroughs
After relocating to Paris in 1877 to pursue medicine, Klumpke navigated significant institutional barriers. While training at the Paris Medical Faculty, she faced repeated rejections for hospital positions due to her gender. Following advocacy from colleagues such as Blanche Edwards-Pillet, she successfully gained an internship at Charité Hospital. In 1883, she identified a specific form of paralysis involving the brachial plexus, characterized by miosis of the eye. Her thesis on this subject secured the 1886 Godard Prize, establishing her scientific credibility.
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In 1888, she married Joseph Jules Dejerine, a fellow neurologist and former student of Alfred Vulpian. Together, they conducted exhaustive research into the anatomy of the nervous system. Although the two-volume textbook Anatomie des Centres Nerveux and the clinical manual Sémiologie des affections du système nerveux were published under her husband’s name, historical records confirm her direct involvement in the conception and synthesis of this data. Between 1885 and 1926, she authored or co-authored over 56 scientific papers.
Professional Advocacy and Final Years
Klumpke ascended to the chair of neurology at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in 1910 following the death of Fulgence Raymond. Her career involved navigating intense professional rivalries, notably with Pierre Marie. Following the death of her husband in 1917, she established the Dejerine Foundation with her daughter, Yvonne Sorrel-Dejerine, to preserve their joint medical legacy. She served as a medical officer at the Hôtel National des Invalides, receiving the Officer of the Legion of Honour in 1921. She died in 1927 in the 7th arrondissement of Paris and is interred at Père Lachaise Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1859, San Francisco
- Died: 1927, 7th arrondissement of Paris
- Academic Degree: Doctor of Medicine
- Godard Prize: 1886
- Knight of the Legion of Honour: 1913
- Officer of the Legion of Honour: 1921
- Burial Site: Père Lachaise Cemetery
- Eiffel Tower Recognition: 2026
Questions readers ask
What is Klumpke paralysis?
It is a medical condition involving brachial plexus palsy, first identified and described by Augusta Déjerine-Klumpke in her medical thesis.
Was she the first woman to hold a position in French neurology?
She was the first woman to serve as a medical intern in a Paris hospital, the first elected female member of the French Neurology Society, and its first female president in 1914.
Achievements
- Godard Prize — 1886
- Knight of the Legion of Honour — 1913
- Officer of the Legion of Honour — 1921
- Fields: medicine, neurology and neuroscience
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