Auguste-Henri Forel
Encyclopedia
Auguste-Henri Forel was a Swiss myrmecologist, neuroanatomist and psychiatrist
, notable for his investigations into the structure of the human brain
and that of ant
s. For example, he is considered a co-founder of the neuron theory
. Forel is also known for his early contributions to sexology
.
From 1978 until 2000 Forel’s image appeared on the 1000 Swiss franc banknote
.
, Switzerland
, Forel had a diverse and mixed career as a thinker on many subjects. He was appointed professor of psychiatry in 1879 at the University of Zurich
Medical School. He not only ran the Burghölzli
asylum there, but continued to publish papers on insanity
, prison reform
, and social morality
. Forel named his home as La Fourmilière —the Ant Colony. Around 1900 Forel was a eugenicist
. Forel suffered a stroke
that paralyzed his right side in 1912, but he taught himself to write with his left hand and was able to continue his studies. By 1914 he was a good friend of the eminent British
entomologist Horace Donisthorpe
, with whom he stayed in Switzerland
; his ardent socialist views frequently caused political arguments between the two. After hearing of the religion from his son in law, in 1920 he became a member of the Bahá'í Faith
, abandoning his earlier racist and socialist views saying,
In 1921 he received a letter from `Abdu'l-Bahá
about the differences between the mineral, vegetable, animal and human worlds, the spiritual nature of man and proofs of the existence of God.
He died in Yvorne
at age 82.
He first described in 1877 the zona incerta
area in the brain. He gave it this name as it a “region of which nothing certain can be said”.
Forel International School
is named after him.
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...
, notable for his investigations into the structure of the human brain
Human brain
The human brain has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times larger than the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size. Estimates for the number of neurons in the human brain range from 80 to 120 billion...
and that of ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
s. For example, he is considered a co-founder of the neuron theory
Neuron doctrine
The neuron doctrine is a descriptive term for the fundamental concept that the nervous system is made up of discrete individual cells, a discovery due to decisive neuro-anatomical work of Santiago Ramon y Cajal and later presented, among others, by H. Waldeyer-Hartz...
. Forel is also known for his early contributions to sexology
Sexology
Sexology is the scientific study of human sexuality, including human sexual interests, behavior, and function. The term does not generally refer to the non-scientific study of sex, such as political analysis or social criticism....
.
From 1978 until 2000 Forel’s image appeared on the 1000 Swiss franc banknote
Banknotes of the Swiss franc
The first banknotes in Switzerland were issued in 1825 by the Caisse de Dépôt of the city of Bern.During the 19th century the Cantons had the right of printing notes. Following the law of 8 March 1881 the Swiss National Bank had the exclusive right to issue banknotes in Switzerland. First notes...
.
Biography
Born in villa La Gracieuse, MorgesMorges
Morges is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud, located in the district of Morges and is also the seat of the district.-History:...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Forel had a diverse and mixed career as a thinker on many subjects. He was appointed professor of psychiatry in 1879 at the University of Zurich
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
Medical School. He not only ran the Burghölzli
Burghölzli
Burghölzli is the common name given for the psychiatric hospital of the University of Zürich, Switzerland. The hospital is located on "Burghölzli", a wooded hill in the district of Riesbach of southeastern Zürich....
asylum there, but continued to publish papers on insanity
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
, prison reform
Prison reform
Prison reform is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, aiming at a more effective penal system.-History:Prisons have only been used as the primary punishment for criminal acts in the last couple of centuries...
, and social morality
Morality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
. Forel named his home as La Fourmilière —the Ant Colony. Around 1900 Forel was a eugenicist
Eugenics
Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
. Forel suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
that paralyzed his right side in 1912, but he taught himself to write with his left hand and was able to continue his studies. By 1914 he was a good friend of the eminent British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
entomologist Horace Donisthorpe
Horace Donisthorpe
Horace St. John Kelly Donisthorpe was an eccentric British myrmecologist and coleopterist, memorable in part for his enthusiastic championing of the renaming of the genus Lasius after him as Donisthorpea, and for his many claims of discovering new species of beetles and ants.He is often considered...
, with whom he stayed in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
; his ardent socialist views frequently caused political arguments between the two. After hearing of the religion from his son in law, in 1920 he became a member of the Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
, abandoning his earlier racist and socialist views saying,
In 1921 he received a letter from `Abdu'l-Bahá
Tablet to Dr. Forel
The Tablet to Dr. Forel is a letter of `Abdu'l-Bahá, written in reply to questions asked by Auguste-Henri Forel, a Swiss myrmecologist, neuroanatomist and psychiatrist....
about the differences between the mineral, vegetable, animal and human worlds, the spiritual nature of man and proofs of the existence of God.
He died in Yvorne
Yvorne
Yvorne is a municipality of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle.-Geography:Yvorne has an area, , of . Of this area, or 47.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 39.6% is forested...
at age 82.
Scientific work
His myrmecological five-volume magnum opus, Le Monde Social des Fourmis, was published in 1923. Donisthorpe heavily criticises it in the foreword to the 1927 edition of British Ants: their life history and classification, saying of the work:He first described in 1877 the zona incerta
Zona incerta
The zona incerta is a horizontally elongated region of gray matter cells in the subthalamus below the thalamus. Its connections project extensively over the brain from the cerebral cortex down into the spinal cord....
area in the brain. He gave it this name as it a “region of which nothing certain can be said”.
Forel International School
Forel International School
The Forel International School, is an International school named after Auguste-Henri Forel, is located in Bratislava, Slovakia with a branch in Trnava. Teaching at Forel is based on the theory of Multiple Intelligences, using the Inquiry-based learning method...
is named after him.
Works
Partial List- Les Fourmis de la Suisse, Systématique, notices anatomiques et physiologiques, architecture, distribution géographique, nouvelles expériences et observations de moeurs. Bale, Genève, Lyon, H. Georg. (1874).
- Ameisen aus Sumatra, Java, Malacca und Ceylon. Gesammelt V.Prof. Dr. V. Buttel Reepen in den Jahren, 1911-1912. Zool. Jahrd.Jena Abt. F.Syst. 36: 1-148.(1913).
- Fourmis de Rhodesia, etc. recoltees par M. Arnold, le Dr. H. Brauns et K. Fikendey. Annales de la Societe Entomologique de Belgique. 57: 108-147.(1913).
- Le monde social des fourmis du globe comparé à celui de l’homme.Genève, Kundig, 1921-1923, 5 volumes (1921-1923).
Further reading
- Bernhard Kuechenhoff, "The psychiatrist Auguste Forel and his attitude to eugenics," History of Psychiatry, 19,2 (2008), 215-223.