Guichard Joseph Duverney

Guichard Joseph Duverney (1648-1730) was a French anatomist who practiced medicine in Paris. He is remembered for his anatomical exhibitions at the Jardin du Roi in Paris, and is considered by many to be the founder of otology.

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Duverney published one of the earliest comprehensive works on otology, titled Traite de l'organe de l'ouie (Treatise of the organ of hearing). In this book he discusses the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the ear. Duverney's theory of hearing was fundamentally similar to what Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894) later proposed in the mid-19th century.

In 1683, Duverney identified a temporal bone tumor, which is thought to be the earliest description of cholesteatoma. He realized the importance of the Eustachian tube and its role in adjusting air pressure in the tympanic cavity. However, he believed that the Eustachian tube was always open, acting as a vent to the air, when the eardrum moves in and out.

References

• National Library of Medicine; Guichard Joseph Duverney