精神医学の黎明期における非医師の貢献(2) : ジャン-バチスト・ピュサンの臨床実践  [in Japanese] Contribution of a layman at the dawn of psychiatry (2) : Clinical practice of Jean-Baptiste Pussin  [in Japanese]

In the previous article we presented a part of "Observations faites par le Citoyen Pussin sur les fous: Observation of Citizen Pussin on the insane" for the first time in Japanese, and stressed the historical importance of Jean-Baptiste Pussin, ex-patient and the "governor" of mental patients of Bicetre hospital at the dawn of the modern psychiatry as a discipline of medicine. There are few documents or materials to uncover the full picture of Pussin's contribution, however, his work was not limited to the daily practice of "moral treatment". Occasionally he responded to the police examinations of the inpatients under "ancien regime", and after beginning of the French Revolution, he had to answer to the inquiry about the precise demographic data from the Committee of Juridical Administration, adding legitimate demands to perform his duty at his own risk. Although the authoritative role of Philippe Pinel as a legitimate physician cannot be naturally ignored, especially reflected on the Pussin's writings during the Terror, we present here his incomparable ability of clinical practice in a broad sense as well as his justice and courage which seemed to have been formed through his experiences under various difficult conditions. The biographical study of Pussin suggests the quality required for individuals who practice not only in mental health, but also in the field human services in common.