Jacques Delarue (1901-1971)

An outstanding personality, an originality of thought always kept on the alert by the rigorous observation of facts, a ceaseless work, allowed him to create a remarkable scientific work, in particular in the fields of tuberculosis and cancer.

As a University Hospitalist according to the current standards, he contributed by his example to the Broussais - Hôtel-Dieu Faculty of Paris to establish Pathological Anatomy in the University Hospitals.

The School of Medicine and the Hospital Centre of Rouen had the honour and the luck to welcome Jacques DELARUE, during 16 years (1936-1952), as a full Professor, and as Head of the Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy. Of course, a Hospital Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy had existed since 1926 (Doctor CAILLAU). Before that date, Félix DÉVÉ, a world-renowned hydatologist, left a notebook of hospital anatomical-pathological diagnoses. In fact, it is only since the arrival of Jacques DELARUE in Rouen that Pathological Anatomy has acquired an important, almost privileged place in the Hospitals of this City. He did not only bring the precision of his diagnoses, his knowledge as a biologist, his sense as a clinician, his experience as an oncologist, he taught the people of Rouen the interest of this medical speciality, by situating the place of Pathological Anatomy in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, more generally in the understanding of Medicine.

The dedication, to Jacques DELARUE, of the new large Pathological Anatomy Pavilion, is an elementary justice as well as a tribute to the one who, after having served medicine in our City, before becoming one of the masters of French medicine, wanted to rest forever in Normandy, in a humble cemetery of Cauchois.