Alexandre Jacques François Brière de Boismont
Encyclopedia
Alexandre Jacques François Brière de Boismont (often translated as Brierre de Boismont in English) (October 18, 1797 – December 25, 1881) was a French physician and psychiatrist
who was a native of Rouen
.
In 1825 he received his medical doctorate in Paris
, and afterwards was a physician at a nursing home in Sainte-Colombe
. In 1831 he performed important studies of a cholera
epidemic in Poland, and in 1838 became director of a private nursing home on Rue Neuve Sainte-Genevieve, located near the Panthéon de Paris. Beginning in 1859 he practiced medicine in Saint-Mande
.
Brière de Boismont was the author of numerous publications in several medical fields, including hygiene
, forensic medicine and anatomy
, but is best known for his work in psychiatry
. In 1845 he published Des Hallucinations, ou Histoire raisonnée des apparitions, des visions, des songes, de l'extase, du magnétisme et du somnambulisme, which was a landmark study of hallucinations, of which he considered were a significant part of mankind's psychological history. This book was later translated into English as "On Hallucinations: Or, the Rational History of Apparitions, Dreams, Ecstasy, Magnetism, and Somnambulism".
In 1856 he published a comprehensive study on suicide
titled Du suicide et de la folie suicide, and with Jules Baillarger
(1809-1890) and others, was co-editor of Annales médico-psychologique. In 1862, Brière de Boismont provided an early description of what would later become known as Kleine-Levin syndrome
(KLS).
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
who was a native of Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
.
In 1825 he received his medical doctorate in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and afterwards was a physician at a nursing home in Sainte-Colombe
Sainte-Colombe
Sainte-Colombe may refer to the following places in France:*Sainte-Colombe, Hautes-Alpes, in the Hautes-Alpes département*Sainte-Colombe, Charente, in the Charente département...
. In 1831 he performed important studies of a cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemic in Poland, and in 1838 became director of a private nursing home on Rue Neuve Sainte-Genevieve, located near the Panthéon de Paris. Beginning in 1859 he practiced medicine in Saint-Mande
Saint-Mandé
Saint-Mandé is a commune of the Val-de-Marne department in Île-de-France in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.-History:...
.
Brière de Boismont was the author of numerous publications in several medical fields, including hygiene
Hygiene
Hygiene refers to the set of practices perceived by a community to be associated with the preservation of health and healthy living. While in modern medical sciences there is a set of standards of hygiene recommended for different situations, what is considered hygienic or not can vary between...
, forensic medicine and anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
, but is best known for his work in psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
. In 1845 he published Des Hallucinations, ou Histoire raisonnée des apparitions, des visions, des songes, de l'extase, du magnétisme et du somnambulisme, which was a landmark study of hallucinations, of which he considered were a significant part of mankind's psychological history. This book was later translated into English as "On Hallucinations: Or, the Rational History of Apparitions, Dreams, Ecstasy, Magnetism, and Somnambulism".
In 1856 he published a comprehensive study on suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
titled Du suicide et de la folie suicide, and with Jules Baillarger
Jules Baillarger
Jules Baillarger, full name Jules Gabriel François Baillarger was a French neurologist and psychiatrist who was born in Montbazon....
(1809-1890) and others, was co-editor of Annales médico-psychologique. In 1862, Brière de Boismont provided an early description of what would later become known as Kleine-Levin syndrome
Kleine-Levin syndrome
Kleine-Levin Syndrome or KLS is aneurological disorder characterized by recurring periods of excessive amounts of sleeping and eating. At the onset of an episode the patient becomes drowsy and sleeps for most of the day and night , waking only to eat or go to the bathroom...
(KLS).