Joseph Philippe Emmanuel Castaigne (February 27, 1871 - September 21, 1951) was a French internist who was a native of Bassac, Charente

Bassac, Charente

Bassac is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...

.

He studied at the Medical University of Paris

University of Paris

The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...

, and was later an interne of hospitals in 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 in 1908 became Médecin des hôpitaux. During 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 was responsible for the treatment of wounded soldiers at a hospital in Vichy

Vichy

Vichy is a commune in the department of Allier in Auvergne in central France. It belongs to the historic province of Bourbonnais.It is known as a spa and resort town and was the de facto capital of Vichy France during the World War II Nazi German occupation from 1940 to 1944.The town's inhabitants...

, and after the war became head of medical services at Hôpital de la Charité

Hôpital de la Charité

Hôpital de la Charité was a hospital in Paris founded in the 17th century and closed in 1935.-History:In 1606, Marie de Médicis invited the Brothers Hospitallers of St. John of God to come to France. The Abbot of Saint-Germain-des-Prés granted them the use of its former Saint-Père chapel, which...

.

In 1920, following the death of his oldest son, he relocated to the village of Cébazat

Cébazat

Cébazat is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France.-References:*...

, near Clermont-Ferrand

Clermont-Ferrand

Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...

. Castaigne felt that a small village environment would be beneficial in raising his other children. At Clermont-Ferrand he eventually attained the directorship of its medical school, and worked there until 1942.

At Paris he studied under Anatole Chauffard

Anatole Chauffard

Anatole Marie Émile Chauffard was a French internist who was born in Avignon. He earned his doctorate in 1882, and became médecin des hôpitaux. In 1907 he was appointed professor of internal medicine of the Paris faculty...

 (1855-1932) and Augustin Nicolas Gilbert

Augustin Nicolas Gilbert

Augustin Nicolas Gilbert was a French physician who was born in the town of Buzancy, Ardennes. He received his doctorate from the University of Paris and became an interne at the Hôtel-Dieu de Paris. Later he was a professor of therapeutics and clinical medicine at Hôtel-Dieu...

 (1855-1927), and performed investigations involving renal functionality with internist Emile Charles Achard

Emile Achard

Emile Achard, full name Emile Charles Achard was a French internist born in Paris. In 1893 he became médecin des hôpitaux, and later a professor of general pathology and therapeutics. In 1910 he was appointed professor of internal medicine at the University of Paris...

 (1860-1944). With Achard the "Achard-Castaigne test" is named, which is a urinary test using methylene blue

Methylene blue

Methylene blue is a heterocyclic aromatic chemical compound with the molecular formula C16H18N3SCl. It has many uses in a range of different fields, such as biology and chemistry. At room temperature it appears as a solid, odorless, dark green powder, that yields a blue solution when dissolved in...

 dye to examine the excretory function of the kidneys. His name is also lent the "Castaigne test" for examining the density of urine.