NORBERT CLOQUET FELUYSIENNE A PERSONALITY: Dr. Norbert CLOQUET A hall of the House of Memory is dedicated to Dr. Norbert Cloquet.
We will remember who is this personality through an article written by way of eulogy by one of his colleagues, Dr. Francois Lebon, Nivelles, in August 1897.
The years disappear like smoke, leaving behind a trail of bitterness and regret, and yet it is hours exquisite and blessed, those that are devoted to the relief of the unfortunate ones that are going on in the family circle and those flowing into the company of true friends.
Such were the thoughts that were chasing me, thinking of the disappearance of an old friend, a noble heart, to death already rather distant and the dear late Dr. Cloquet. His loss is the more sensitive I am at an age where no one tied more new friendships.
I thought it my duty to help ensure that the memory of this good man is still alive among us, is what determined me to write this biography.
Norbert was born in Cloquet Eigenbrakel March 25, 1816, one of these families might be called patriarchal and in which man is trained in the practice of domestic virtues. After completing his primary education at the village school, he attended the College of Bishops of Mechelen, where He was a brilliant humanities, completed at an early age. Well prepared for graduate school, he went to the University of Leuven for scholarly study medicine, and he came out in nineteen years, with a degree of doctor of medicine, which he would soon add a doctorate in surgery, etc.., summa cum laude.
Before entering the medical family, the young doctor had wanted to expand its horizons beyond traditional boundaries. He went to Paris to hear the lessons of Dupuytren of Andral, the Chaumel, of Louis, Keychain, etc.. And all of the outstanding masters of the time. He returned to Belgium
two years later, well prepared to tackle the challenges and responsibilities of medical practice. His friends advised him to settle in a big city, where he would soon have a brilliant customer. But he does not have this advice: his tastes were simple and the countryside to prefer a more modest, and November 10, 1837, it stood at Feluy village both agricultural and industrial development of Hainault, who had seduced by "the beauty of its sites. Soon he married Miss Theresa Wauthier of Dreams, which was to be the worthy companion of his life long and laborious.
In a pleasant countenance, a First, always gracious, he was quick to attract the sympathies of all the inhabitants of the locality.
The practice of medicine was for him a department in which the heart had a role to fill, he was convinced that the doctor owes much of the power of his art e confidence of the patient. We admired him in preference to him was granted still more suffering, more than threatened, regardless of rank and fortune, and if necessary he would be able to meet him one day D Anthony Little Queen Marie-Antoinette, who accused him of neglecting the Dauphin indisposed 'Madame, if I do not wine yesterday in Versailles is that I was chosen from a peasant who was in great danger. " He remembered an article in hospital regulation of Leuven, dating from the fourteenth century, to read: "The doctor will not only treat the sick, he taught the people how to treat minor illnesses and prevent all diseases in general. "
This wise precept of the ancient Faculty, Dr Cloquet was careful to comply with even more zeal he became the health officer of a corporation Office workers and charity community.
Our friend was in good community ideas and feelings with the distinguished French doctor who said the following about the dual role of man of Ilart: "La, medicine has not given to man all the services he is entitled to it claim, even when she gave him that much desired healing ... she has another mission finest and safest thing is to preserve the rights of the danger of abuse as fatal, is to teach us the ways to mitigate the dangers resulting from one's temperament, among other hereditary diseases; here, too, there, unhealthy diet, to overwork, a dangerous profession, etc..
"This must be the duty of providing medical care to its patients and generously giving his advice to all who wish to avoid in the future the suffering and hardships that the disease"
In 1849 and 1850, Dr Cloquet made a distinguished service to his adopted village. When the Asiatic cholera appeared on our borders from the south, rife with violence feared, he hastened to promote the establishment of a committee of public safety, which he chaired. This commission began to work quickly, visiting with meticulous care the various districts of the populous town and especially the houses dangerous by their filth and unsanitary conditions.
He managed to destroy the causes of infection and said the municipality's actions to scare them away. Rightly that the newspaper The Health Committee reported Feluy, including Dr. Cloquet was the soul, as distinguished from those who best understood their mission. If the cholera that ravaged nearby villages Feluy has touched this county, it is indisputable that it was indebted to him.
At that time the doctor published a pamphlet entitled: Small health code or regulation of public hygiene. It is preceded by an introduction stating in a succinct and accurate means to maintain the health of people in the most varied circumstances of social life. The medical journal cited above, which accounts for this booklet, makes it a great praise and said: "The instructions and advice given by this little code, deserve to be taught to people as so many duties to perform religiously.
In 1852, Dr. Cloquet published, under the guise of safety committee Feluy a "Submission Feluy charitable people on ways to reduce poverty and to abolish public begging.
We insist on these specially propaganda works beneficial because, better than his other works, they testify to his generous feelings and his zeal for the public good.
If, despite his dedication, our friend could not achieve all its projects in the field of public health, he was happiest when he offered to workers to associate and form a fraternal society under the aegis of St. Aldegonde, patron saint of the village. But his courageous initiative
exerted on a higher goal. Moved by the unfortunate situation where he had met with doctors at rest reduced by old age or infirmity, while selflessness or the size of the medical profession had prevented them from securing the support of their old age, he succeeded, with the help of some colleagues to some extent counter to this sad situation, organizing the Pension Fund of the body Belgian medical, now the Provident Fund and funded by state aid. This institution, which was his main work, he has survived, and the future is now assured, it works regularly for twenty-six. In the
OF Cloquet, the doctor doubled philanthropist was a distinguished scholar and archaeologist. All the leisure which allowed him to study and the practice of his art was devoted to archaeological research and publications on its findings. It did not stop with these personal research. He made an active propaganda in favor of this important branch of history, but he noted with sadness the little sympathy that shows the new generation, though well educated, these studies had the approval of its existence. Founding member and active of the Archaeological Society of Charleroi, he gave himself no rest, he had persuaded the scholars of our city that they had around them the elements of a similar company. If Nivelles has an archaeological society, that we owe him. Also, when it was formed, "she hastened to appoint him an honorary member. For his part, he brought the company its new quota of records, which were published in our annals.
N. Cloquet was a member of many other archaeological societies whose ballots contain memories due to his pen.
He had gathered considerable amounts of geological and paleontological specimens (including fossils rare wildlife Carboniferous) deposits specific to the country, a multitude of flints and artefacts Prehistoric, Roman antiquities and frank collected in Hainaut and the southern part of Brabant, he eagerly explored the products of excavations of the Belgo-Roman villa Arquennes, qu'il'découvrit and searched, etc.. His office contained
also interesting objects of more recent times, productions of ancient art and local: pottery, earthenware, porcelain, crystal, wooden furniture, brassware, wrecks monastic libraries, etc.. Everything was arranged with taste in its interior, which was an attraction for archaeologists and where visitors are assured of a cordial reception.
Too often, the death of a collector ', his firm is auctioned, and the objects he sometimes spent as was the case here, a half-century in the collection, dispersed in a few shifts. The collection of our friend had a better fate: it was acquired by the Belgian Government for the University of Ghent.
The golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. N. Cloquet was celebrated on 3 and 8 August 1892. The first day was devoted to a family celebration was marked by a happy incident. Mr. Mayor Feluy, accompanied by municipal council, came to submit official congratulations to the happy jubilee and provide Mr. Cloquet on behalf of the common grateful, a superb bronze, representing, in the bust, the famous anatomist Vesalius. The second festival, dedicated to friends from outside, brings a large audience composed mostly of doctors and archaeologists. Each
joined a souvenir to his congratulations. The gift presented to the Jubilee on behalf of the Archaeological Society of Nivelles was a casket containing a Knight's Cross of the Order of Leopold, an emblem of a distinction which had come without being sought, the culmination of a career so full.
Those who attended this party full of warmth and spirit, were to meet together one year later to lead to its final resting place that they celebrated so joyously.
few days after the festivities, Mr. Cloquet brought to our museum a collection of archaeological flints removed from his office, and arranged according to a classification which he is the author.
It was already the germ of disease which was to take a few months later.
Supported by the devotion of a wife worthy of him, he endured the bitter sufferings with admirable calm and serenity drawn from a burning faith. He dictated to his instructions that his funeral were consistent his feelings and his simple and peaceful existence. He outlawed all vain pomp, any speech, any ring and the honors were reserved as Knight of the Order of Leopold. He had prepared, to the arrangement of his burial and provided to the attentions which he wanted his colleagues were the subject of archeology and medicine attending his funeral. He died July 3, 1893, in edifying sentiments. His funeral was touching. In the entire population Feluy joined a large number of clergy, medical and scientific societies to pay their last tribute to the man estimated that carried to the grave affection.
almost complete list of the writings of Dr. Cloquet: l. Fragments of medical satire, by a country doctor (Nivelles, Cuisenaire, 1848);
2. Report of the Committee of Safety Feluy.
3. Memory on how to reduce poverty and to abolish public begging (Nivelles, Despret, 1853).
4. Small sanitary code or of public health regulations;
5. Letters on the antiquities found in and around Feluy (Annals of the Archaeological Circle Mons
t. IV, 1863).
6. Notes Celtic on pottery and flint tools found in the Bois de la Garenne in Arquennes (1866-1867).
7. Geo-archaeological walk around Feluy (Annals of the Archaeological Society of Charleroi
t. II, 1868).
8. Report on excavations made Obaix and Pont-à-Celles (Id., t.III, 1869).
9. Report on the discovery of a Belgo-Roman villa Arquennes (Id., vol VI, 1872).
10. Report on the Belgo-Roman villa Arquennes. Second search (Id, 1874).
11. Memory on cremation, sent to the Medical Society of Charleroi (Charleroi, F. Cador, l874).
12. Peoples the age of polished stone, in Europe, they cultivated the land? (Ann. arch of the Company. Charleroi, l875).
13. Stations of the new stone age in Belgium, discovered in 1875 (Id.1876).
14. A curious observation of catalepsy (Annals of the Medical Society of Charleroi, 1876).
15. Prehistoric discoveries in the district of Nivelles and its limits (Annals of the Archaeological Society of Nivelles, I., l878).
16. Studies on the prehistoric to the Paris Exposition of l878 (Journal of the Society Arch. Charleroi, 1880).
17. Prehistoric archeology, its different phases and classifications (App. Society arch. Nivelles, t. II, 1880).
18. Mound Township Cemetery Wavre and Celtic Court-St-Etienne (Id.).
19. The need to get good performances especially in prehistoric and protohistoric (1881).
20. Cemetery Celtic Court-St-Etienne (Annals of the Archaeological Society of Nivelles, t. III, 1882).
21. New communications relating to the cemetery Celtic Court-St-Etienne (Id.).
22. Excursion to Godarville, geological and archaeological discoveries (Annals of the Archaeological Society of Charleroi, 1883).
23. Cemetery Hardwood Combreuil at Ecaussines-D'ENGHIEN (Annals Circle archaeological Enghien, 1884).
24. Brochure Louis Galesloot (Annals of the Archaeological Circle of Mons, 1884).
25. Archaeological pipes (Annals of the Archaeological Society of Charleroi, t. XIII, 1885).
26. From the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age (Archaeological Congress in Bruges, 1887).
27. Looking back on the prehistoric finds made on the plateau of Hainaut and Walloon Brabant (Bulletin of the Anthropological Society of Brussels, T, VI, 1887-1888).
28. Note on the ante-Roman pottery (Archaeological Congress Charleroi, 1888).
29. Scientific results of the Archaeological Society of Charleroi during its first twenty-five years of existence (1888).
30. Dolmens Belgium (Bulletins Anthropological Society of Brussels, t. IX, 1890-1891).
31. The prehistoric Brussels Congress of l891 (Annals of the Archaeological Society of Nivelles, t. IV, l89l).
32. Archaeological excursion into the valley of the Dyle and Lasne (Id., 1893).
Biography of Jean Bailly, Mr Tray. Hospital Report, p. 29 and 465. (Yearbook 1857). History of Leuven, for Ch Piot, P. 379. Hygiene of the home, by Dr. Riant, P. 11 has
Health April 30, 1850, p. 229.
