Did Philippe Pinel frame the concept of the disease rheumatoid arthritis in the year 1800?
The dissertation from 1800 by Landré-Beauvais (LB) is quoted as an early description of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with the implication that the disease was new at that time. However, physicians of the past may not have been able to perceive an already existing disease due to a lacking concept of it. The dissertation has been studied in the context of contemporary medical literature, modern historical and biographical texts. LB's dissertation seems to have been influenced by LB's mentor Philippe Pinel. The present study does not permit to conclude whether RA was a new disease.
Hansen
S E
SE
Medical Museion, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. sveha@sund.ku.dk
D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000266:history*; D005602:France; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000266:history*