Jean-Martin Charcot

Jean-Martin Charcot , born with Paris the November 29th 1825 and died in Montsauche-les-Settons the August 16th 1893, is a clinician and Neurologue French, professor of Pathological anatomy, holder of the pulpit of the diseases of the nervous system, member of the Académie of medicine (1873) and Academy of Science (1883). He is the founder with Guillaume Duchenne of modern neurology, the precursor of the Psychopathologie and one of the largest French clinicians.

Biography

In 1860 Charcot starts to teach the pathological anatomy at the university of Paris and in 1862 it is named with Salpêtrière. In 1869 it is the first to describe the amyotrophic side Sclérose, also known under the name of disease of Charcot and in 1873 he becomes member of the Académie of medicine.

In 1882 the first world pulpit of Neurologie is created for him and it creates a school of neurology in Salpêtrière, where it starts soon to give its famous lessons (see an engraving of A. Lurat, realized according to a table of André Brouillet) which one finds an important trace in his work in three volumes Leçons on the diseases of the nervous system made in Salpêtrière (published of 1885 to 1887). It highlighted the relationship between the lesions of certain parts of the Cerveau and the attacks driving.

Sigmund Freud is its pupil of October 1885 in February 1886. It follows its courses with passion, meets it and obtains even the right to translate into German some of his work. Among his pupils and collaborators, one also counts Joseph Babinski, Georges Gilles of Tourette, Gilbert Ballet, Eugen Bleuler, Albert Pitres, Charles Féré, Alfred Binet and Pierre Janet.

Charcot suffered from a severe chronic coronary insufficiency and died of a Myocardial infarction. According to another version he died of a edema of the Poumon.

His/her son Jean-Baptiste Charcot (1867-1936), doctor also, is the author of campaigns and oceanographical work in the polar regions.

Hypnosis and hysteria

In 1876, Charcot is member of a commission named by Claude Bernard to study the experiments of métallothérapie of the doctor Victor Burq (1823-1884). In 1878, it starts to study the Hypnose under the influence of Charles Richet and in 1882, in On the various nervous states determined by the hypnotisation among hystericals , it rehabilitates the Hypnose like subject of scientific study by presenting it like a somatic fact suitable for the Hystérie. For Charcot, the interest for hypnosis is inseparable from the Méthode anatomo-private clinic, i.e. the identification of anatomical deteriorations likely to explain the organic nervous diseases. It has recourse to hypnosis from the experimental point of view to show that the hysterical paralyzes are not determined by an internal injury but by what it calls a " dynamic lesion fonctionnelle" that it is possible to recreate under hypnosis. Charcot does not use on the other hand hypnosis within a therapeutic framework, to try " défaire" symptoms which it had initially caused in an artificial way.

The publication of the book of Charcot marks the beginning of the golden age of hypnosis in France and makes of Charcot the leader of what one called the École of Salpêtrière. Charcot described there the three states of the Great Hypnotism of the hysterical patients:

the lethargy , obtained while pressing on the eyelids of the subject, lasting which the subject remains inert while expressing a “neuro-muscular hyperexcitability” (the least contact causes one diminishes)
the catalepsy , obtained by reopening the eyes of the subject (or by making resound a gong), lasting which the subject takes the installations that one gives him and “transfers” at will diminish them with dimensions body where one applies a magnet
the sleepwalking , obtained by rubbing the top of cranium of the subject, lasting which the subject speaks and moves normally
to you the subject makes proof of a total Amnesia with the alarm clock.

The work of Charcot also restores all its dignity about the Hystérie: the patient is not any more one simulatrice, since Charcot of all its authority answers of the authenticity and of the objectivity of the hysterical phenomena. The clinical studies of Charcot as make it possible to discover, with the general surprise, as hysteria is not the privilege of the women.

In lessons 18 to 22 of the Leçons on the diseases of the nervous system , bearing on seven cases of male Hystérie, Charcot declares that the hysterical symptoms are due to a traumatic “shock” causing a dissociation of the conscience and of which the memory, fact even, remains Inconscient or Subconscient. There it poses the bases of the “traumatico-dissociative” theory of the neuroses which will be developed by Pierre Janet, Joseph Breuer and Sigmund Freud. The latter, between 1888 and 1889, undertake “to find” under Hypnose the traumatic memories their patients.

Works

On the various nervous states determined by the hypnotisation among hystericals , 1882
Lessons on the diseases of the nervous system , 1885-1887
With Paul Richer, Démoniaques in art , Delahaye and Lecrosnier, 1887
With Paul Richer, the Deformed ones and Patients in art , Lecrosnier and Babé, 1889
the faith which cures , Felix Alcan, Paris, 1897 Text in line

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