Abstract
Objective: To shed light on Dr. Andre Strohl’s important contributions to the initial 1916 paper describing two patients with acute ascending paralysis and to demonstrate why the reasons previously cited of his subsequent absence in the eponym ‘Guillain Barré Syndrome’ are trivial in modern society.
Background: ‘Guillain-Barré Syndrome’ is a popular eponym that comes from a 1916 paper by Drs. Guillain, Barré, and Strohl. These physicians described two soldiers in the French Sixth Army during World War I who developed acute progressive motor weakness. Although Drs. Guillain and Barré have continued to be included in the syndrome’s eponym, Dr. Strohl has been forgotten despite having strongly contributed to the original paper.
Design/Methods: Literature review.
Results: Dr. Strohl greatly contributed to the initial 1916 publication by performing the myographic studies on the two patients described. Four main reasons have been cited for Dr. Strohl’s subsequent absence to the GBS eponym. These include: 1) His youth, being only 29 years of age when the paper was published. 2) His scope of interest spanning multiple specialties which was not respected by his contemporaries. 3) His surname of German origin during a time of strong anti-German sentiment in France post-WWI. 4) His origin in a mostly German province of France.
Conclusions: Dr. Andre Strohl was vital in the initial descriptions of what we know today as Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Due to prejudices based on age, diverse interests, surname, and country of origin he was not included in the eponym that followed. However, these reasons are trivial in contemporary practice and thus, it is time to put Strohl back in Guillain-Barré-Strohl Syndrome.
Disclosure: Dr. Bondi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Carroll has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bhatt has nothing to disclose.
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