Adrien Proust (1834-1903) and the Cordon sanitaire

Introduction & Objectives: Adrien Proust was a French epidemiologist and hygienist in Paris. He is acknowledged as one of the pioneers of social distancing, quarantine, the modern cordon sanitaire (a barrier to stop the spread of infectious diseases) and confinement, which he called “sequestration“. Materials & Methods: Moreover Adrien Proust was the father of two world famous sons. One is the author Marcel Proust (1871-1922), who wrote one of the most iconic books in French literature “À la recherche du temps perdu”. The younger son was Robert Proust (1873-1935), a well-known urologist in his time, who pioneered perineal prostatectomy after 1900, a procedure therefore nicknamed “proustatectomie” in France. Results: Already as a young doctor Adrien Proust travelled many countries to conduct research on cholera and other infectious diseases and to understand how pandemics are transmitted. He became Professor of Hygiene at the Faculty of Medicine in Paris and was appointed Inspector General of International Health Services from 1974 to 1903. Conclusions: Highlights of his career were public appearances at international conferences in Venice to fight against cholera and plague (“La défense de l'Europe contre le choléra et la peste”) in 1892 and 1897. Adrien Proust addressed the duality of economy and health in the time of pandemics and his pioneering ideas are of high interest for us today in the time of COVID 19.

Shining the light on women's work, this time brighter: Let's start at the top

As the percentage of women in the workforce grew over the past 50 years, so too began the slow assent of women into leadership roles, revealing a sharp trailing percentage of women from entry level to senior leadership positions. Although men's leadership has been studied extensively, women were largely overlooked in leadership theory and research until the late 1990s. In the context of the global pandemic, the threat to equity in women's work has enormously intensified, resulting in women leaving or considering leaving the workforce at rates that greatly exceed men. Modest gains in women achieving top leadership positions are at risk of being erased, as women face intense increased pressure at work and home. Persistent barriers and inequities in women's advancement to senior leadership are now in the spotlight during these unprecedented times, heightening the urgency to examine the current state and future direction of women's leadership. There is no better time to invest in diversity, equity and inclusion in leadership by turning attention to theory, research, and individual and organizational practices to drive women's advancement and success. This contribution to the 50th anniversary special issue addresses emerging leadership theories, women's leadership aspirations, and importantly, barriers to women's advancement to senior leadership. © 2021 Elsevier Inc.