Georges Charles Guillain (ɡilɛ̃) (March 3, 1876 - June 29, 1961) was a French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 neurologist

Neurologist

A neurologist is a physician who specializes in neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.Neurology is the medical specialty related to the human nervous system. The nervous system encompasses the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. A specialist...

 born in Rouen

Rouen

Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...

.

He studied medicine in Rouen

Rouen

Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...

 and Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

, where he learned clinical education at several hospitals. He developed an interest in neurology

Neurology

Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...

, and his first important scientific work involved lesions of the plexus brachialis. He earned his medical doctorate at Paris in 1898.

He later became chef de clinique for nervous disease and in 1910 attained the title of agrégé. After World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 he worked at Charité Hospital in Paris, and in 1923 became a professor of neurology at the Salpêtrière

Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital

The Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital is a teaching hospital located in Paris, France. Part of the Assistance publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, it is one of Europe's largest hospitals...

.

Guillain was a prolific writer, in 1920 with his friend Jean Barré (1880-1967), he published a major work titled Traveux neurologiques de guerre concerning their clinical experiences during the war. He was a member of French, American, and Japanese academies of science, and in 1949 was appointed commander of the Légion d'honneur

Légion d'honneur

The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...

. He died in Paris.

Associated eponyms

• Guillain-Laroche-Léchelle reaction, Réaction au benjoin colloidal.
• Guillain-Barré-Strohl syndrome, the commonest form of acquired inflammatory polyneuropathy.
• Guillain-Thaon syndrome, syndrome rare due to syphilis of the central nervous system.