The Health Sciences Historical Society of British Columbia

CEREMONY IN HONOUR OF DR. MARC DAX AND DR. GUSTAVE DAX ON 12 June 1966, there took place in the little township of Sommi6res near Montpellier, an interesting ceremony in honour of Dr. Marc Dax (1770-1837) and his son Dr. Gustave Dax (1815-1893). The former was the first to draw attention, in 1836, to the greater importance of the left cerebral hemisphere as regards the faculty of language. A considerable congregation of notables, medical and otherwise, assembled under the auspices of the Maire of Sommieres, Dr. R. Andre. Professor Alajouanine of Paris unveiled a plaque over the house where the younger Dr. Dax was born, while Dr. Macdonald Critchley in his capacity as President of the World Federation of Neurology, unveiled a tablet in the market square now renamed 'Le Place des deux Docteurs Dax'. Among the many well-known persons in attendance were Professor Euzi&re, Honorary Dean, and Professor Benezech, Dean, of the Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier; Professor Passouant of Montpellier who instigated and organized the ceremony; Dr. Fergus Ferguson (Manchester); Professor Romieu, President of the Medical Historical Society of Montpellier; and Professor F. Lhermittee of Paris.