Marie Jonet Dugès

Marie Jonet Dugès (1730–1797) was a French midwife.^[1]

Marie Jonet ("Madame Dugès")

Family

Jonet Dugès' daughter, Marie Lachapelle, was also a renowned midwife.^[2] From an early age, her daughter was a constant companion and assisted at births.^[2] Dugès taught her everything she knew about midwifery.^[2]

Career

Jonet Dugès was first a sworn midwife ("sage-femme jurée") at the Chatelet Hospital.^[3] Later, in 1775, she was promoted to the position of Midwife-in-Chief of the Hôtel-Dieu.^[3] She performed her duties with such zeal, ability, and faithfulness that when she retired the government awarded her a liberal pension.^[3]

Legacy

Marie Jonet Dugès is remembered as one of the most significant midwives attached to the Hôtel-Dieu, and for her improvement of French midwifery.^[4]