A Cultural History of Medical Vitalism in Enlightenment MontpellierOne of the key themes of the Enlightenment was the search for universal laws and truths that would help illuminate the workings of the universe. It is in such attitudes that we trace the origins of modern science and medicine. However, not all eighteenth century scientists and physicians believed that such universal laws could be found, particularly in relation to the differences between living and inanimate matter. From the 1740s physicians working in the University of Medicine of Montpellier began to contest Descartes's dualist concept of the body-machine that was being championed by leading Parisian medical 'mechanists'. In place of the body-machine perspective that sought laws universally valid for all phenomena, the vitalists postulated a distinction being living and other matter, offering a holistic understanding of the physical-moral relation in place of mind-body dualism. Their medicine was not based on mathematics and the unity of the sciences, but on observation of the individual patient and the harmonious activities of the 'body-economy'. Vitalists believed that Illness was a result of disharmony in this 'body-economy' which could only be remedied on an individual level depending on the patient's own 'natural' limitations. The limitations were established by a myriad of factors such as sex, class, age, temperament, region, and race, which negated the use of a single universal treatment for a particular ailment. Ultimately Montpelier medicine was eclipsed by that of Paris, a development linked to the dynamics of the Enlightenment as a movement bent on cultural centralisation, acquiring a reputation as a kind of anti-science of the exotic and the mad. Given the long-standing Paris-centrism of French cultural history, Montpellier vitalism has never been accorded the attention it deserves by historians. This study repairs that neglect. |
Contents
The gardens | |
Practice and practitioners | |
The University of Medicine | |
Student life | |
Boissier de Sauvages and the Emergence of Vitalism in Montpellier | |
Montpellier Physicians in the Capital | |
Other editions - View all
A Cultural History of Medical Vitalism in Enlightenment Montpellier Elizabeth A. Williams No preview available - 2016 |
Common terms and phrases
Académie des sciences AFMM anatomy Ancien Régime animal appointment argued Barthez Béarn Bordeu Cambridge chancellor chemistry Chicoyneau Colin Jones constituted Cour des Comptes court d'Holbach Descartes Diderot disease doctrine eighteenth century Encyclopédie Encyclopedists Enlightenment established France François French functions Haguenot Haller Hippocrates hospital Hôtel-Dieu Ibid Imbert influence inoculation institutions Jardin Jean Jean Astruc JMCP Journal de médecine l'homme Lamure Languedoc Lordat maladies mechanist Médecine de Montpellier médicale Mémoires Ménuret Mesmer Montpellier faculty Montpellier physicians Montpellier vitalism Montpellier vitalists Montpellier's Montpelliérains nature nonetheless nosology Nouveaux élémens observations organs Paris faculty patients Paul-Joseph Barthez phenomena philosophical physical physiology Pierre position practice professors published Recherches Robert Darnton role royale de médecine royale des sciences Saint-Eloi Sauvages's Sénac sensibility siècle smallpox Société royale society soul Stahl surgeons teaching Théophile de Bordeu Tissot Toulouse Trévoux University of Medicine University Press Venel vital principle vitalist discourse vitalist physicians vols Paris women