Jacques-Étienne Belhomme
Encyclopedia
Jacques-Étienne Belhomme (29 January 1800 – 16 February 1880) was a French psychiatrist
who was a native of Paris
. He was the son of carpenter
Jacques Belhomme (1737-1824), who managed a maison de santé for the insane on Rue de Charonne in Paris.
Belhomme studied medicine in Paris, and worked under Jean-Étienne Dominique Esquirol
(1772-1840) at the Salpêtrière
. His 1824 dissertation, Essai sur l´idiotie was one of the earliest works dedicated to the education of the mentally handicapped. After his father's death in 1824, he inherited the elder Belhomme's maison de santé.
Belhomme was a leading figure in French phrenology
, and believed that insanity could be anatomically
localized in certain regions of the brain
. In 1839 he became secretary of the Société phrénologique. Publications by Belhomme include:
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 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...
. He was the son of carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
Jacques Belhomme (1737-1824), who managed a maison de santé for the insane on Rue de Charonne in Paris.
Belhomme studied medicine in Paris, and worked under Jean-Étienne Dominique Esquirol
Jean-Étienne Dominique Esquirol
Jean-Étienne Dominique Esquirol was a French psychiatrist.Born and raised in Toulouse, Esquirol completed his education at Montpellier...
(1772-1840) at the Salpêtrière
Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital
The Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital is a teaching hospital located in Paris, France. Part of the Assistance publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, it is one of Europe's largest hospitals...
. His 1824 dissertation, Essai sur l´idiotie was one of the earliest works dedicated to the education of the mentally handicapped. After his father's death in 1824, he inherited the elder Belhomme's maison de santé.
Belhomme was a leading figure in French phrenology
Phrenology
Phrenology is a pseudoscience primarily focused on measurements of the human skull, based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules...
, and believed that insanity could be anatomically
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...
localized in certain regions of the brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
. In 1839 he became secretary of the Société phrénologique. Publications by Belhomme include:
- Considerations sur l'appreciation de la folie, sa localisation et son traitement, 1834
- Quatrième Mémoire sur la localisation des fonctions cérébrales et d la folie, 1845