From 1871 he served as a hospital intern in Bordeaux, later returning to Paris, where he worked as an assistant to Étienne-Jules Marey in the laboratory of pathophysiology at the Collège de France.

In 1885 he was named director of the laboratory, and in 1890, attained the title of professor.

[1] Among his assistants at the Collège de France was neuropathologist Gustave Roussy.

[3] His research included studies of vasomotor regulation, pulmonary blood flow and investigations involving the cerebral localization of function.

He was a pioneer of sympathectomy (interruption of the sympathetic nervous system for relieving pain) and remembered for his usage of cinematography to accurately record body movements.