Larrey, Dominique Jean, Baron Larrey (1766–1842)

French army surgeon who rose to become surgeon-in-chief of Napoleon's Grande Armée. Many advances in field surgery are attributable to him: he was one of the first to amputate at the hip-joint (1812), pioneered the use of maggots to prevent infection in wounds, gave the first description of trench foot, and originated first aid to combatants by getting stretcher-bearers to take wounded men immediately from the battlefield.

Larrey studied medicine at Paris and spent a short time in the navy before resuming his studies at the Parisian College de Chirurgie. He joined the army in 1792 and spent the rest of his active life there, taking part in 60 battles and 400 other engagements, and being wounded three times. He was made a baron in 1809. He remained loyal to Napoleon even after his abdication in 1814, and followed him on his final campaign (the hundred days). At Waterloo, he was captured and sentenced to death, but was saved by the personal intervention of the Prussian commander Blücher.