 He studied medicine in Paris, where he became a hospital interne in 1857.In 1862 he received his medical doctorate with the dissertation ""De l'ataxie locomotrice"", and three years later began work as "chef de clinique" at the faculty of medicine.From 1877 to 1884 he served as "chef de service" at the Hôpital Saint-Antoine, and afterwards worked in a similar capacity at the Hôpital Cochin.