Philippe Pinel

First ancestor that I found so far.

Philippe Pinel 
ggggrandfather, 5 generations

Famous french doctor, born on 20 April 1745, at Schloss Rascas, commune of Saint-André (Tarn), died in Paris on 26 October 1826. Son and grandson of doctors, he was admitted to the doctorate at Toulouse in 1773. He started by giving lessons in mathematics and translated several scientific works in English to French. Finally he applies himself to the study of insanity since 1784.

Pinel had opposed the ideas of the time wanting to reform the barbaric methods used to treatment of the insane. He removed the chains of all sick and got great results in replacing treatment with gentleness and kindness.

Removing the chains

His Traité médico-philosophique sur l'aliénation mentale was the starting point for all work performed thereafter in this area.

Author: Pinel, Philippe, 1745-1826

Subject: Psychiatry -- Early works to 1900; Psychiatry -- France

Publisher: Paris, J.A. Brosson

Philippe Pinel was regarded as a humanist, humble and generous. He died without fortune (my luck!) but is still remembered as the father of modern psychiatry.

In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a large psychiatric hospital has been named Pinel Institute in honor of the famous french psychiatrist.

Hospital Pinel, Botafogo, RJ, Brasil

Philippe Pinel was even better known in Brazil that one of his son, Charles, who emigrated to this country and left numerous offspring.

Including me.

Source: Compiled from information published in various sources, including the website “Pinellistique” (http://www.pinel.org) and the book by Lucy Lupia Pinel Balthazar