Michel Sarrazin

Back in the colony, Sarrazin resumed his medical practice, armed with the knowledge and credentials he had gained while in France. His skills were valued in the colony, and as the leading medical professional, he was held in high esteem.[1] In 1699, he was named head doctor of New France. The main goal of Sarrazin’s practice was to help the sick restore their health while gaining an understanding of the social and scientific causes of disease. His role was to treat the sick in hospitals in New France and prescribe remedies, but was not limited to that. Sarrazin also took on the function of apothecary, and became a trusted reference often called upon for medical advice. The lack of registered doctors at the time gave a lot of power to Sarrazin, placing him in a position of high authority. Sarrazin was responsible for identifying the competence of practitioners and had to approve the choice of surgeons for l’Hotel-Dieu of Quebec. In addition, Sarrazin was also called upon to perform autopsies, give advice in judicial matters, and provide affidavits of miraculous cures at the shrine of Sainte-Anne de Beaupré.[1] Apart from briefly returning to France in 1709–1710, Sarrazin remained in the colony practicing medicine until his death at age 75.

After having completed his studies in France and returned to New France, no family member was awaiting Sarrazin’s arrival in the colony. It was not until June 20, 1712, fifteen years after his return and at the age of fifty, that Sarrazin married Marie-Anne Hazeur, a former pupil of the Ursulines, in Montreal, Quebec. Madame Sarrazin’s father, Francois Hazeur, was a prominent businessman and seigneur, and consequently Sarrazin received the seigneuries of Grande-Vallée and of Anse-de l’Étang. Marie-Anne gave birth to seven children, three of which died in infancy. Upon Sarrazin’s death, Marie-Anne was left destitute, having to rely on her husband’s pension, and later returned to live with her brother, Canon Hazeur.

Sarrazin is credited with the discovery of sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), a member of the ginseng family, which was one, "among the number of unique plants of that country".[4] Sarrazin grew ginseng in his garden for future study, and sent the first sample of the specimen back to the Jardin du Roi in 1701.

The most interesting specimen discovered by Sarrazin is likely Sarracenia purpurea, the pitcher plant, a plant which was previously unknown in France. Linneaus would name the genus Sarracenia in his honor.[5] He maintained that this plant caught insects and ate them, a theory which was dismissed by the academic community. It was only later, when Charles Darwin published his dissertation in 1875, Insectivorous Plants, that this was validated. This plant, found mainly in bogs and marshes around Québec, proved to be an effective treatment for smallpox, a disease which plagued Europe and America at the time. Other discoveries included l’Arum Canadense, which could treat tumours, l’Aralia canadensis, which treats ulcers, l’Aster corora, for epileptic seizures, and l’Angelica Canadensis tenufolia asphodeli radice which can be used as a sedative. Moreover, the native people of New France taught Sarrazin that the sap from Arbor acadiensis could be used to treat sores.

As a correspondent of the Académie Royale des Sciences, Sarrazin consistently sent samples back to Paris, with no expectation of recognition. New France's uncharted lands proved challenging to botanists, as Sarrazin stated in his correspondence, "I could cross all of Europe more easily, and with less danger, than I could cross 100 leagues in Canada".[6]^:219 One of Sarrazin's Paris correspondents, Sebastien Vaillant, compiled the documents and specimens sent to New France from Sarrazin into a book published in 1708 titled "Histoires des plantes de Canada". This was the first French botanical text of this nature studying North American flora and fauna.

However, Sarrazin's work remained largely unpublished. His only publication by the Académie Royale des Sciences discussed the syrup extraction process of Canadian maple trees, which can be found in "Observations botaniques." Moreover, Sarrazin printed his observations on the fauna of New France as well, notably describing the beaver, the muskrat, the porcupine, the harbour seal, and the wolverine. Therefore, Sarrazin allowed the people of France to acquire more extensive and diverse knowledge on the flora and fauna of New France.

Sarrazin was also a surgeon, and although he was not permitted to diagnose illnesses or prescribe medication, he was adept at healing fractures, bandaging wounds, draining abscesses and bleeding patients. Sarrazin was the only certified surgeon present during a smallpox epidemic aboard a ship anchored in Québec, the Diligente, and thus was in charge of medical procedure surrounding the ordeal. While there was no treatment for smallpox, Sarrazin was successful in preventing the spread of disease and in alleviating the pain of his patients by administering cold baths for the fever and powder for the sores.

The Michel Sarrazin Award recognizes the scientific career and outstanding contribution of an experienced Québécois scientist. It is awarded annually to a scientist who, through innovation and productivity, has contributed in vital ways to the advancement of biomedical research.