ABSTRACT
January 17, 1920, Paul Deschanel, at the age of sixty-four, was elected the tenth president of the third French Republic by 734 votes against 130, thus fulfilling the ambition of his life (Chastenet de Castaing, 1967). Unfortunately, this ambition will hang fire in less than one year, and the name of Paul Deschanel will be much more remembered by psychiatrists than by the majority of his constituents.
