René Semelaigne

René Semelaigne was a French psychiatrist and biographer born in Neuilly-sur-Seine. He was the son of psychiatrist Armand Semelaigne and a great-nephew of Philippe Pinel.
As a psychiatrist, he served as director of the Maison de santé de la Folie Saint-James à Neuilly. He is remembered for his historical studies of psychiatry, being the author of three well-regarded works:Les grands aliénistes français - The great French alienists. Involves biographical studies of Pinel, Esquirol, Ferrus, Falret, Voisin and Georget.Aliénistes et philanthropes. Les Pinel et les Tuke - Alienists and philanthropists. Pinel and Tuke. - The pioneers of French psychiatry before and after Pinel; Volume 1, Paris, JB Bailliere and Son, 1930 and Volume 2, 1932.