Maurice Mességué (14 December 1921 – 16 June 2017) was a French herbalist and author of several books on herbal medicine and cooking with herbs. In his autobiography, he claims to have treated Winston Churchill, Chancellor Adenauer of Germany, and the future Pope John XXIII. He was born in Colayrac-Saint-Cirq (Lot-et-Garonne). In 1971, he was elected the Mayor of the town of Fleurance. Mességué practices a form of herbalism passed down through his family. Some of the practices involve, among other things, soaking the patient's feet and hands in a strong concoction of locally gathered herbs. References Of People and Plants: The Autobiography of Europe's Most Celebrated Healer by Maurice Mességué External links Rosalee de la Forêt's biography 1921 births 2017 deaths Herbalists