[Michel Lévy (1809-1872) head of the Ecole du Val-de-Grâce].

Son of a modest clothier in Strasburg he succeeded to entrance examination to the military hospital in 1830. He defended his thesis in 1834 and was appointed professor at the hospital "Val-de-Grâce" in 1850. As General and Director of the Military Health Service in Crimea he fought against cholera through remarkable measures of hygiene. In 1856 he was appointed Director of the Imperial School of Medicine and Pharmacy of Val-de-Grâce in Paris. Michel Levy held fast to his Jewish origins and was tolerant to the other religions.