PINEL, PriturrE, a celebrated French physician, was b. April 20, 1745, at Saint Andre, in the department of Tarn, France; and after receiving a good classical educa tion at the college of Lavour, removed to Toulouse, where he studied medicine, and took his degree in 1773. He continued his medical studies at Montpellier, maintaining himself meantime by teaching mathematics; and in 1778 removed to Paris, where lie acquired some reputation by a translation into French of Cullen's Nosology (1785), and the works of Baghivi (1788), and also by some memoirs on subjects connected with zool ogy and comparative anatomy. Having applied himself with success to the study of mental alienation, he was charged, in 1791, to. make a report on the insane inmates of the Bic6tre, became chief physician of this institution in 1793, and in 1795 was chosen to the same office at the Salp6triere (a similar asylum, but for females). In the latter
institution Piuel commenced a class of clinical medicine, which he continued after his appointment to the chair of medical physics and hygiene, and subsequently that of pathology, at the school of medicine in Paris. IIe was admitted as a member of the in 1803, and died at Paris, Oct. 26, 1826. His most valuable works were his Trails Medico-philosophique de l'Alienation Mentale (1791), and La .NOsographic Malmo phique (1798), with its commentary, La Medicine Clinique (1802). Pinch gained for him self fame by his reformation of the old barbarous methods of treating the insane. The physicians brought up under the old system were not ashamed to offer a vigorous opposition to Pinel's philanthropic opinions; but he fortunately succeeded in thoroughly establishing their correctness, and his system in a few years prevailed over the of Europe.