Alexandre Jacques François Bertrand

Alexandre Bertrand circa 1820

Alexandre Jacques François Bertrand (April 25, 1795 – January 22, 1831) was a French physician and mesmerist who was a native of Rennes. He was the father of archaeologist Alexandre Bertrand (1820–1902) and mathematician Joseph Bertrand (1822–1900). He was also an ally of philosopher Pierre Leroux (1798–1871) and the Saint-Simonians.

Bertrand is remembered for his scientific investigations of animal magnetism and somnambulism. In his public lectures on animal magnetism he spoke confidently about the existence of "magnetic fluid", but through experience and reflection he later changed his mind, becoming a leading critic of its existence.^[1]

From 1825 to 1830 Bertrand published numerous articles in the progressive journal Le Globe.

Selected Writings

• Traité du somnambulisme et des différentes modifications qu'il présente (Treatise on sleepwalking and the various changes it presents), Paris, Dentu, 1823.
• Lettres sur les révolutions du globe, Paris, Bossange brothers, 1824.
• Lettres sur la physique, Paris, Bossange, 1824 and 1825.
• De l'extase (Of Ecstasy), Paris, 1826.
• Du magnétisme en France et des jugements qu'en ont porté les sociétés savantes (Of magnetism in France and judgments of the learned societies), Paris, Baillière, 1826.- Republication L'Harmattan, 2004 - ISBN 2-7475-6319-7.

References

• This article is based on a translation of an equivalent article at the French Wikipedia.

1. A history of hypnotism by Alan Gauld

External links

• Works by or about Alexandre Jacques François Bertrand at Internet Archive
• Lettres sur les révolutions du globe (1824); Lettres sur les révolutions du globe (1826) - digital facsimiles from Linda Hall Library