[Jean Dominique Larrey and a paradoxical charity postage stamp].

A few years ago, the author had the lucky opportunity to acquire a charity stamp in an upright format showing the great French army surgeon Jean Dominique Larrey. This remarkable stamp, issued in 1964 for the benefit of the French Red Cross, is in itself a historical paradox which perhaps has not yet been noticed. In fact, it should have never been issued, since Larrey, to put it briefly, would have made the foundation of the Red Cross almost unnecessary: if Larrey's requirements concerning a prompt and extensive care of all wounded soldiers and persons involved in a battle had been put into practice only in Europe, there would have been no reason for an organization like the Red Cross. Henri Dunant, walking through the battlefield of Solferino in 1859, would have seen many corpses and all kinds of broken army material lying around. Seeing all that would probably have saddened him, but he would have hardly undertaken any humanitarian activity. The misery and chaos on the battlefield that moved the Swiss observer so much and prompted him to found the Red Cross would have simply not existed. Nevertheless, Jean Dominique Larrey would certainly feel greatly flattered if he could see his portrait applied to supporting the charity organization which carries out many of the ideas--once vigorously advanced by himself--up to the present day.