Pravaz

Pravaz is a surname of French origin. The name is most closely associated with the 19th-century French surgeon Pierre-Joseph-Jean-Baptiste Pravaz (1794–1853), who played a key role in the early development of the hypodermic syringe. In the 1850s, Pravaz designed a metal syringe with a hollow needle that enabled injections beneath the skin. His work helped establish practical methods for delivering drugs such as morphine directly into the body, a significant advance in analgesia and anesthesia at the time. Pravaz’s device contributed to the broader adoption of subcutaneous and intradermal injections and influenced subsequent syringe designs.

Historically, Pravaz’s innovations in Lyon paralleled independent developments by other physicians, most notably Alexander Wood, and together these efforts are often cited as foundational to the modern hypodermic syringe. The invention and refinement of the syringe facilitated new pharmacological and medical practices, including anesthesia, vaccination, and targeted drug administration, and it marked a turning point in clinical therapy.

Beyond his contribution to syringe technology, further biographical details about Pravaz are limited in common medical histories. The surname Pravaz remains primarily encountered in historical medical contexts and genealogical references related to its French origins.