Assembly Hall
In Montpellier, students don the robe of Rabelais, a former student and teacher at the faculty, for this solemn occasion. A19th-centurycopy of the robe is kept in the hall.
Formerly the bishops' conclave hall, for over 200 years it has been the venue for thesis defenses, under the gaze of 91 portraits of19th-century professors and "under the effigy of Hippocrates," an antique bust donated to the Faculty by Bonaparte in 1801.
The Salle des Actes, dedicated to Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, is a place of great historical significance. Hippocrates, a Greek physician of the 5th century BC, was a pioneer of rational medicine. Before him, medicine was mainly magical, strongly influenced by religious beliefs and ritual practices.
Hippocrates introduced the idea that diseases had natural causes rather than divine ones, marking the transition to a scientific approach to medicine.
In this room is a bust of Hippocrates, donated to the faculty by Napoleon Bonaparte on June 3, 1801, on the initiative of Jean-Antoine Chaptal, former professor of chemistry at Montpellier and statesman under Bonaparte. This bust, dating from the 1st or 2nd century AD, is a valuable representation of the ancient medical heritage.
The busts of Asclepius and Hygieia: symbols of ancient medicine
In addition to the bust of Hippocrates, the room houses busts of Asclepius (Aesculapius) and Hygieia, two key figures in Greek medical mythology. Asclepius, son of Apollo and god of medicine, is often depicted with his staff entwined by a snake, symbolizing healing and medical knowledge. Hygieia, his daughter, is the goddess of health and prevention, while her sister Panacea embodies the universal remedy. These are the symbolic figures that form the trinity of ancient medical thought: healing (Asclepius), prevention (Hygieia), and treatment (Panacea).
Chaptal had these busts made as a reminder of the intellectual heritage of ancient medicine. It should be noted that the Hippocratic corpus was officially taught in Montpellier from the founding of the University until the Revolution, and that Barthez theorized vitalism, a "neo-Hippocratic" doctrine linking Hippocrates and the modern sciences of the 18th century (chemistry, biology).
The story of Asclepius and magical medicine: from sanctuaries to Asclepiad physicians
In ancient times, medicine was primarily linked to religion. Shrines dedicated to Asclepius, such as the one at Epidaurus, were places where patients came to receive treatment. This treatment was based on rituals, where the sick drank herbal teas, prayed, and had dreams that were then interpreted by priests to determine the treatment. It was therefore a form of magical medicine.
However, the Asclepiads, descendants of Asclepius, were a line of physicians, not priests, who practiced a more empirical and rational form of medicine, although still rooted in divine lineage. Hippocrates belonged to this lineage and was the first to formulate a form of medicine based on rational principles, breaking with magical thinking.
The architecture of the Salle des Actes: a chapel transformed into a place dedicated to medicine
The Salle des Actes is a unique venue in Montpellier. At first glance, its architecture resembles that of a chapel, and for good reason: it was originally the private chapel of the bishops of Montpellier and the synod hall (where the bishop's council met) before being transformed into a ceremonial hall for thesis defenses and faculty ceremonies. Frescoes (gray) depicting patron saints such as Saint Charles Borromeo and Saint Paul adorn the walls, bearing witness to its religious origins.
On the vaulted ceiling, you can see grisailles (monochrome paintings) that recall this ecclesiastical era. However, in 1804, the room was transformed into a place dedicated to medicine, a space where the legacy of Hippocrates blends with the Christian history of the building.
One of the highlights of this room is Rabelais' gown, a traditional red toga associated with the illustrious writer and physician François Rabelais, who studied at the Faculty of Medicine in Montpellier in the 16th century. This gown, mentioned in archives dating back to 1612, is surrounded by a particular anecdote: over the years, students would symbolically take pieces of it, probably to preserve a part of the legacy of Rabelais and the institution. This practice was part of a form of veneration for academic tradition.
Over time, the toga had become damaged and worn. In the 17th century, Dean Ranchin decided to restore it. In his campaign platform before his election, he promised to have Rabelais' robe remade, which attests to the importance of this symbol in the Montpellier university community. It is one of the oldest examples of a doctoral gown associated with a historical figure, whose preservation embodies the continuity of Montpellier's academic traditions.
This red gown, worn during solemn ceremonies, has been passed down and restored over the centuries, linking the faculty's rich history with the modernity of its teaching. Today, it remains a symbol of unity and authenticity for the academic community, carrying with it the legacy of Rabelais and the first generations of students.
The Hippocratic Oath: from Antiquity to Montpellier
The Hippocratic Oath, written around the 4th century BC, is one of the founding texts of medical ethics. In Montpellier, this oath took on particular significance. In 1804, a new oath inspired by Hippocrates was introduced for new doctors graduating from the faculty, marking a turning point in modern medical training. It was the first example of a systematically administered oath in a medical faculty.
This oath, although adapted over the centuries, remains an essential reference for medical students in Montpellier. It emphasizes ethics, integrity, medical confidentiality, the family nature of the medical community, and the transmission of knowledge, values that are still fundamental in the training of doctors today.
NOTICE ACCOMPANYING THE OATH READ AT THE END OF MEDICAL THESIS DEFENSES, AS IS CUSTOMARY AT THE FACULTY OF MONTPELLIER-NÎMES
What is the origin and function of the Hippocratic Oath?
The original Hippocratic Oath dates back to ancient times. It was taken by those aspiring to study medicine if they were recruited outside the family circle of Asclepiads to which Hippocrates belonged.
It was primarily an "apprenticeship contract" between the master and his disciple, as well as a commitment to ethical behavior. Traces of its use are lost in the Middle Ages [1, 2].
When was the Hippocratic Oath reintroduced into medical training?
After the French Revolution, the Hippocratic Oath inspired the drafting of a new text in Montpellier [1-3]. The "Ceremonial for Examinations and the Reception of Doctors" was established by the health school council on July 6, 1804. After the president of the jury had proclaimed the new Doctor, the latter was invited to "read the promise." This promise, which would quickly come to be known as the "oath" in the following years, remains unchanged to this day, word for word, since 1804. The only change was the introduction of the feminine form so that the oath could be read by female students (Agnès MacLaren, from Scotland, the first female doctor at the Faculty of Montpellier, received her degree in 1878).
The Montpellier Oath is the first known occurrence of the "Hippocratic Oath" in the academic context of medical training [2]. Its recitation has become the "ideal image" of students becoming doctors. The Hippocratic Oath was widely revived in North America in the second half of the 19th century, as well as in other French faculties between the two world wars [3]. In 2016, French medical faculties used 17 versions of the Hippocratic Oath [4], half of which were based on the Montpellier Oath. The oath in force at the National Council of the Order of Physicians (CNOM) was used by one-third of faculties. Although the CNOM adopted a version almost identical to the Montpellier oath from 1964 to 1995, subsequent amendments were made to take account of bioethics laws, at the risk of losing its literary and concise character [3, 5]. Nevertheless, some traces of the original Montpellier oath still remain in the CNOM oath (see table).
What is the current use of the Hippocratic Oath at the Faculty of Montpellier-Nîmes?
New doctors defend their theses in the historic Faculty building in Montpellier. Even today, they are invited by the chair of the jury to "read the oath, in accordance with the custom of our Faculty." This is neither an obligation to read nor an obligation to swear, but a traditional custom that is symbolically inspiring and intended to be educational and reflective.
Certain passages of the Montpellier oath, which has remained unchanged since 1804, may seem somewhat outdated today, as Dean Bouisson had already noted to the Faculty Council in 1872. His proposed amendments were never adopted. Nevertheless, an explanation may be necessary today to recontextualize the oath and understand its meaning (see table).
Finally, students may choose to print in their thesis and read at the end of their defense the version of the oath in force at the CNOM [5] or that from the Declaration of Geneva [5], replacing the Montpellier oath. These three oaths are perfectly complementary and not contradictory. It should be noted that the oath taken by doctors when they register with the Council of the Order in their department is also customary, and only the doctor's commitment "to know and respect the code of ethics," made "under oath and in writing" when registering with the Council, has legal value [5].
References: [1] Jacques Jouanna. Serment. Loi. Testament. Les Belles Lettres, 2019; [2] Vivian Nutton. What’s in an Oath? Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London Vol. 29 No. 6, 1995; [3] Isabelle Deligny. The Hippocratic Oath, foundation of medical ethics. Medical thesis, Montpellier, 1986; [4] Dorothée Hégo. The Hippocratic Oath from yesterday to tomorrow: An overview of the use of the Hippocratic Oath in the 36 French medical schools. Medical thesis, Lille 2, 2016 [5] CNOM. Code of Ethics. 2021
Approved by the Oath Review Committee on February 15, 2024.
Approved by the Faculty Management Board on XX/XX/2024.
The Montpellier Oath (1804): context and explanations
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Oath |
Background |
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In the presence of the teachers of this school, my dear fellow students, and before the effigy of Hippocrates... |
Reading the oath "before the effigy of Hippocrates" should not, of course, be interpreted as idol worship. Context: the bust of Hippocrates in the auditorium is an antique bust donated to our school by Bonaparte in 1801, symbolizing the importance of Hippocratic teaching and its timeless relevance in many aspects related to individual health and the caregiver/patient relationship. Our Faculty pays particular attention to the transmission of these principles, even today. The bust, integrated into the decor, serves as a reminder of these fundamental concepts within the School, while placing them in their historical context. |
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…I promise and swear, in the name of the Supreme Being, to be faithful to the laws of honor and integrity in the practice of medicine. * The doctor may not mention "the Supreme Being." |
Honor and integrity echo the original Hippocratic Oath. The Supreme Being, replacing the deities listed in the old oath, has no religious connotation. This idea, introduced by Enlightenment philosophers such as Diderot, Rousseau, and Voltaire, aims to overcome issues related to the diversity of religious beliefs within a single nation, or the freedom not to practice any religion. Inspired by a spirit of tolerance, it is intellectual in nature and not necessarily divine (human consciousness of the universal natural order). As in the Montpellier Oath, the Supreme Being retains historical value in the constitutions of 1946 and 1958, which reaffirm in their preamble the constitutional value of the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, in which the Supreme Being is mentioned. It should be noted that the modern version of the Hippocratic Oath was drafted and reinstated after the Revolution. |
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I will provide free care to the poor and will never demand payment. salary above my job. |
This is a concept that does not exist in the ancient oath, having been added later in Europe under the influence of charity. This concept persists in the CNOM oath. |
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Admitted into people's homes, my eyes will not see what goes on there, my tongue will keep the secrets entrusted to me, and my position will not be used to corrupt morals or encourage crime. |
This sentence echoes the ancient oath. It should be noted that the obligation of medical confidentiality was more nuanced in the original oath, leaving it up to the physician to decide whether or not to disclose what he had heard: today, there are mandatory or permitted legal exemptions and jurisprudential exemptions to medical confidentiality. |
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Respectful and grateful to my teachers, I will pass on to their children the education I received from their fathers. Or "that I received from them" |
This concept echoes the first part of the ancient oath, which is an apprenticeship contract between the master and his disciple. It recalls the role of the physician in passing on knowledge to younger generations (also indicated in the code of ethics), mentoring, tutoring, and transgenerational transmission, which are values dear to our Faculty. According to some grammarians, the more accurate wording would be "the instruction I received from them." This would also allow the word "fathers," which is inevitably gendered, to be replaced by the term "teachers," which can be applied equally to both men and women. |
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May men hold me in high esteem if I keep my promises. May I be covered with shame and despised by my colleagues if I fail to do so. |
This seemingly imprecatory phrase echoes the ancient oath. With only minor modifications, it also concludes the CNOM oath. The term "confrère" (fellow) has been retained by the CNOM because, according to the professional council, this word has no gender connotation, just like the word "médecin" (doctor). |
Questions and contacts: Professor responsible for the third cycle of medical studies; Vice Dean for General Affairs and/or Historical Heritage.
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