PMID: 11624944Jan 1, 1993Paper

The idea of the "incubation" of madness and its significance in the development of French forensic psychiatry during the first third of the 19th century

Cuadernos Complutenses de historia de la medicina y de la ciencia
J Martínez Pérez

Abstract

The aim of this study is to attempt to demostrate the way in which a concept created by French psychiatrists during the first decades of the 19th century, that of the "incubation de la folie", contributed to the recognition of alienists as the great experts in the phenomenon of madness. In the first instance, the author considered how the idea of the "incubation" of madness was formulated by these incipient specialists in mental medicine, and then went on to deal with how this new concept was used in the courts of law and how it was contested by those sectors opposed to the psychiatrists hope of being accepted by society as being the only people capable, with a high degree of certainty, of establishing a subject's mental state and, consequently the degree of responsibility with which they had acted when breaking the law. This led to the idea or "incubation" being inmmersed in a debate, sometimes as the protagonist, which surpassed the limits of the field or Medicine. The last part of the study will try to show that the development of this scientific concept was strongly conditioned at the beginning of its formulations prevalent in France at that time.

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.