Dubois, Jacques

1. Dates

Born: Amiens, 1478

Died: France, 13 Jan. 1555

Dateinfo: Dates Certain

Lifespan: 77

2. Father

Occupation: Artisan, Academic

His father was a weaver, but he was reared by his older brother who was a professor.

3. Nationality

Birth: French

Career: French

Death: French

4. Education

Schooling: Montpelier, M.D.

He studied medicine informally with members of the Paris Faculty of Medicine and particularly anatomy with Jean Tagault. Later he went to Montpellier, where he was graduated with M.B. in 1529 and M.D. in 1530. He was incorporated M.B. in 1553 (or 1551 according to Thuasne) in Paris. (I am not listing the Paris connection.)I take the M.B. as equivalent to a B.A.

5. Religion

Affiliation: Catholic (assumed)

6. Scientific Disciplines

Primary: Anatomy, Medicine

His major contribution to anatomy is presented by the posthumous In Hippocrate et galeni physiologiae partem anatomicam isagoge (1555). It is a systematic account of anatomy, written some time after 1536 and based on the writings of Galen, on a certain amount of human dissection, and on the Anatomiae libri introductorius (1536) of Niccolo Massa.

He published many commentaties, and some of them were frequently reprinted and were very influential.

7. Means of Support

Primary: Academia, Medicine

Secondary: Schoolmastering

While studying anatomy informally in Paris, he supported himself by giving private lessons and consultations. The consultations provoked the wrath of the medical faculty.

Professor of anatomy at the College de Theguier, 1535- 1555.

He replaced Vidus as professor of surgery at the Collège royale in 1550.

Dubois became rich through a combination of publication, consultation, and extreme parsimony. I assume that consultation is equivalent to practice.

8. Patronage

Type: Court Official

Henry II was responsible for Dubois' appointment to the Collège royale.

Dubois dedicated a Latin-French grammar (1531) to Queen Élénore.

9. Technological Involvement

Type: Medical Practice

10. Scientific Societies

Memberships: None

Relationship with Vesalius.

Sources

1. Louis Thuasne, "Rabelaesian: Le Sylvius Ocreatus," Revue des bibliotheques, 15 (1905), pp.268-283. Z671 .R45
2. Dictionnaire de biographie Françcaise, 11, 940.

Not Available and Not Consulted

1. "Vita" prefixed to Rene Moreau's edition of Iacobi Sylvii Opera medica, (Geneva, 1634).

Compiled by:

Richard S. Westfall

Department of History and Philosophy of Science

Indiana University

Note: the creators of the Galileo Project and this catalogue cannot answer email on geneological questions.