The Last Voyage of Jean-Martin Charcot

Jean-Martin Charcot died unexpectedly on August 16, 1893, at the age of 67, while on a journey to the Morvan for a short holiday with colleagues and friends. This article reports in detail circumstances of Charcot's journey, and his untimely death in a small and modest room in a secluded hotel in the French countryside. In Part 1, I describe the reasons for Charcot's choice to go on the journey, with an emphasis on his role in the recent and controversial "Panama Affair". Subsequently, I describe the first days of the vacation journey by train, horse-drawn carriage, and walking as he visited castles, churches, and an archeological museum. During this holiday, Charcot's companions got to know his great versatility: He was interested in history, antiques, excavations from the prehistory, languages, literature, painting, architecture, nature, and horticulture. In Part 2, I narrate Charcot's sudden death. Additionally, I pay attention to the different reports in the press, the difficult and long journey of the corpse back to Paris, and the religious funeral, followed by the walk to Charcot's final resting place in the Montmartre Cemetery.