Jacques-René Tenon
Encyclopedia
Jacques-René Tenon was a French surgeon
who was born near the town of Joigny
.
, where one of his instructors was Jacques-Bénigne Winslow (1669-1760). For several years he was associated with the Salpêtrière, and in 1757 attained the chair of pathology
of the College of Surgery. In 1759 he became a member of the French Academy of Sciences
.
In 1788 Tenon published the Mémoire sur les hôpitaux de Paris (Memoirs on the Hospitals of Paris) which was a concise and detailed account of French hospitals. It was concerned with aspects such as hygiene
, patient care and environmental conditions of hospitals. This publication was a catalyst regarding efforts to replace the Hôtel-Dieu of Paris
by a committee from the Academy of Sciences, whose members included Tenon, and famous scientists such as Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier (1743-1794), Charles-Augustin de Coulomb
(1736-1806) and Pierre-Simon Laplace
(1749-1827).
In the 18th century, the Hôtel-Dieu was notoriously overcrowded, unsanitary and susceptible to fire. Architect Bernard Poyet (1742-1829) proposed a new Hôtel-Dieu on Île des Cygnes (former island)
on the Seine River at a price of 12 million livres
, while members of the Academy planned for four new hospitals far from the Seine (Saint-Louis in the north, Holy-Anne in the south, the Roquette in the east, and in the west the abbey of Holy-Périne of Chaillot). Although plans for building the four new hospitals to replace the Hôtel-Dieu initially looked promising, the project was met with resistance and eventually shelved in the early 1790s.
, a membrane that envelops the posterior five-sixths of the eyeball. He provided a description of the "capsule of Tenon" in 1805.
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
who was born near the town of Joigny
Joigny
Joigny is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.It is located on the banks of the Yonne River.-Notable people :...
.
Biography
He studied medicine in ParisParis
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...
, where one of his instructors was Jacques-Bénigne Winslow (1669-1760). For several years he was associated with the Salpêtrière, and in 1757 attained the chair of pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
of the College of Surgery. In 1759 he became a member of the French Academy of Sciences
French Academy of Sciences
The French Academy of Sciences is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research...
.
In 1788 Tenon published the Mémoire sur les hôpitaux de Paris (Memoirs on the Hospitals of Paris) which was a concise and detailed account of French hospitals. It was concerned with aspects such as 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...
, patient care and environmental conditions of hospitals. This publication was a catalyst regarding efforts to replace the Hôtel-Dieu of Paris
Hôtel-Dieu de Paris
The Hôtel-Dieu de Paris is regarded as the oldest hospital in the city of Paris, France, and is the most central of the Assistance publique - hôpitaux de Paris hospitals. The hospital is linked to the Faculté de Médecine Paris-Descartes...
by a committee from the Academy of Sciences, whose members included Tenon, and famous scientists such as Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier (1743-1794), Charles-Augustin de Coulomb
Charles-Augustin de Coulomb
Charles-Augustin de Coulomb was a French physicist. He is best known for developing Coulomb's law, the definition of the electrostatic force of attraction and repulsion. The [SI unit] of charge, the coulomb, was named after him....
(1736-1806) and Pierre-Simon Laplace
Pierre-Simon Laplace
Pierre-Simon, marquis de Laplace was a French mathematician and astronomer whose work was pivotal to the development of mathematical astronomy and statistics. He summarized and extended the work of his predecessors in his five volume Mécanique Céleste...
(1749-1827).
In the 18th century, the Hôtel-Dieu was notoriously overcrowded, unsanitary and susceptible to fire. Architect Bernard Poyet (1742-1829) proposed a new Hôtel-Dieu on Île des Cygnes (former island)
Île des Cygnes (former island)
The île des Cygnes or île Maquerelle was an island on the river Seine in Paris. It was in the north-west part of the 7th arrondissement, between rue de l'Université and the Seine, les Invalides and the Champ de Mars...
on the Seine River at a price of 12 million livres
French livre
The livre was the currency of France until 1795. Several different livres existed, some concurrently. The livre was the name of both units of account and coins.-Etymology:...
, while members of the Academy planned for four new hospitals far from the Seine (Saint-Louis in the north, Holy-Anne in the south, the Roquette in the east, and in the west the abbey of Holy-Périne of Chaillot). Although plans for building the four new hospitals to replace the Hôtel-Dieu initially looked promising, the project was met with resistance and eventually shelved in the early 1790s.
Eponyms
Today the Hôpital Tenon in Paris is named after him, as is the capsule of TenonCapsule of Ténon
The fascia bulbi is a thin membrane which envelops the eyeball from the optic nerve to the limbus, separating it from the orbital fat and forming a socket in which it moves....
, a membrane that envelops the posterior five-sixths of the eyeball. He provided a description of the "capsule of Tenon" in 1805.