Report on the Report on Robespierre's Blood
This article, previously mentioned, reports the analysis a blood sample that the authors took from the table that Robespierre supposedly lay on during the night of 9-10 Thermidor. Using mass spectrometry, they identify proteins and what tissues/systems they come from; they disregarded those associated with the skin, because of obvious contamination from others using and touching the desk. The analysis confirmed that the stain is, in fact, blood and found proteins associated with, among other places (see the full table at the end):
the central nervous system,
salivary glands,
lachrymal (tear) glands, and
cerebrospinal fluid
indicating a wound of the head and face in line with the surgeons' descriptions of Robespierre's injuries. They also note that this highlights
"the severity of the associated traumatic lesions, which were previously unknown" (p. 446),
which I think means that the surgeons who physically examined him may not have been able to or had no reason to truly ascertain the full extent of his injuries, something that we can now understand with the presence of proteins from, for example, cerebrospinal fluid. The authors conclude that
"These elements make it possible to confirm the identity of the patient at the origin of the bleeding (Robespierre)" (446)
Of course, I wasn't able to confirm that we actually have any of his DNA in order to compare and make a positive ID; I know there's a lock of his hair supposedly at the Carnavalet and there are stories of his teeth being saved, but it doesn't seem as though these have been definitively proven or tested? (Or maybe can't be tested for whatever reason?) Nevertheless, the findings do conform to the story surrounding the table and what is known about Robespierre's wounds.
Also I emailed Peter McPhee to ask if he was aware of the article, because I was curious if there'd been any subsequent research or refutation of the findings, and he said "they seem to be accepted".
Source
From Charlier, P., & Armengaud, J. (2025). Cranio-facial trauma diagnosis using paleo-proteotyping of a blood sample from Robespierre (1794). Annales Pharmaceutiques Françaises, 83(3) 445-448. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharma.2024.12.011
It's a short article, simply reporting the findings in the blood. The first page and a half are the highlights & abstracts which you can read on the Science Direct link above. This is the important part, p.446:
The following page, p. 447, has the full table of proteins and which systems they're associated with:
Following that is just the disclosures, acknowledgements, etc., as well as the reference list, which is also on the Science Direct page.
