Benoît Jules Mure
Encyclopedia
Benoît Jules Mure was a French
homeopath
and anarcho-communist
.
After his studies in medicine at the University of Montpellier
, which he never finished, he travelled throughout Europe
, and spent time in Sicily
trying to cure his tuberculosis
. The search for a cure, he became an adept of homeopathy, which he practiced in such places as Sicily and Malta
, before settling in Brazil
in 1840. He attempted to expand his activities in 1842, by creating an Institute in Saí
, Santa Catarina
(Instituto Homeopático de Saí) training locals in homeopathy, which he saw as a weapon in combatting the endemic
diseases within underprivileged communities - especially the Afro-Brazilian
one.
Inspired by the utopian socialism
of Charles Fourier
, Mure also created a Phalanstère
near São Francisco do Sul
(Falanstério do Saí or Colônia Industrial do Saí), which expanded to surrounding areas such as Vila da Glória (Colônia do Palmital). He received backing from Antero Ferreira de Brito and the rest of Santa Catarina's government of the period, but the project was not to survive.
He left for Rio de Janeiro
in 1843, and founded the Instituto Homeopático do Brasil, serving as its president until 1848 (when he returned to Europe). In 1852, he started homeopathical activities in Cairo, Alexandria
, and other areas of Egypt
(including Turkiyah
Sudan
). He died there six years later.
Literature references: Benoit Mure missionnaire de l'homéopathie. 1809-1858, Roseline Brillat, Editions Boiron S.A, 1988.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
homeopath
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine in which practitioners claim to treat patients using highly diluted preparations that are believed to cause healthy people to exhibit symptoms that are similar to those exhibited by the patient...
and anarcho-communist
Anarchist communism
Anarchist communism is a theory of anarchism which advocates the abolition of the state, markets, money, private property, and capitalism in favor of common ownership of the means of production, direct democracy and a horizontal network of voluntary associations and workers' councils with...
.
After his studies in medicine at the University of Montpellier
University of Montpellier
The University of Montpellier was a French university in Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon région of the south of France. Its present-day successor universities are the University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier 2 University and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier III.-History:The university...
, which he never finished, he travelled throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and spent time in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
trying to cure his tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. The search for a cure, he became an adept of homeopathy, which he practiced in such places as Sicily and Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, before settling in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in 1840. He attempted to expand his activities in 1842, by creating an Institute in Saí
Sai
-Education:*self-accrediting institution, a three-letter acronym in use in higher education in Australia to describe universities and other SAIs-Fiction:*Fujiwara no Sai, a character in Hikaru no Go media*Sai , a character in Naruto media...
, Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina (state)
Santa Catarina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in Latin America. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island. Neighbouring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by...
(Instituto Homeopático de Saí) training locals in homeopathy, which he saw as a weapon in combatting the endemic
Endemic (epidemiology)
In epidemiology, an infection is said to be endemic in a population when that infection is maintained in the population without the need for external inputs. For example, chickenpox is endemic in the UK, but malaria is not...
diseases within underprivileged communities - especially the Afro-Brazilian
Afro-Brazilian
In Brazil, the term "preto" is one of the five categories used by the Brazilian Census, along with "branco" , "pardo" , "amarelo" and "indígena"...
one.
Inspired by the utopian socialism
Utopian socialism
Utopian socialism is a term used to define the first currents of modern socialist thought as exemplified by the work of Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier, and Robert Owen which inspired Karl Marx and other early socialists and were looked on favorably...
of Charles Fourier
Charles Fourier
François Marie Charles Fourier was a French philosopher. An influential thinker, some of Fourier's social and moral views, held to be radical in his lifetime, have become main currents in modern society...
, Mure also created a Phalanstère
Phalanstère
A phalanstère was a type of building designed for an utopian community and developed in the early 19th century by Charles Fourier. Based on the idea of a phalanx, this self-contained community ideally consisted of 1500-1600 people working together for mutual benefit...
near São Francisco do Sul
São Francisco do Sul
São Francisco do Sul is a municipality in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. It covers an area of 493 km² and had an estimated population of 37,725 in 2005.. It was founded as a village by the Portuguese in 1658...
(Falanstério do Saí or Colônia Industrial do Saí), which expanded to surrounding areas such as Vila da Glória (Colônia do Palmital). He received backing from Antero Ferreira de Brito and the rest of Santa Catarina's government of the period, but the project was not to survive.
He left for Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
in 1843, and founded the Instituto Homeopático do Brasil, serving as its president until 1848 (when he returned to Europe). In 1852, he started homeopathical activities in Cairo, Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, and other areas of Egypt
Egypt under Muhammad Ali and his successors
The history of Egypt under the Muhammad Ali Pasha dynasty spanned the later period of Ottoman Egypt, the Khedivate of Egypt under British patronage, and the nominally independent Sultanate of Egypt and Kingdom of Egypt, ending with the Revolution of 1952 and the formation of the Republic of...
(including Turkiyah
Turkiyah
The History of Sudan under Muhammad Ali and his successors traces the period from Muhammad Ali Pasha's invasion of Sudan in 1820 until the fall of Khartoum in 1885 to Muhammad Ahmad, the self-proclaimed Mahdi...
Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
). He died there six years later.
Literature references: Benoit Mure missionnaire de l'homéopathie. 1809-1858, Roseline Brillat, Editions Boiron S.A, 1988.
External links
- Pioneers of homeopathy. Benoît Jules Mure (1809-1858), by Dr Thomas Lindsey Bradford. Presented by Dr Robert Séror.