Jules Grand (1846–1933) was a French physician, writer,

Theosophist Theosophy is a religious movement established in the United States in the late 19th century. Founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and based largely on her writings, it draws heavily from both older European philosophies such as Neo ...

, and

vegetarianism Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...

activist. He served as president of the French Vegetarian Society.

Career

Grand completed his doctoral thesis in medicine on cataract removal in 1873. Grand was a physician at the École de Médecine de Paris (Paris School of Medicine). He was an associate editor of the 1893 and 1894 ''Annual of the Universal Medical Sciences and Analytical Index''. Grand was the president of the French Vegetarian Society from its formation in 1899. He was elected to the management committee in 1905 with biologist

Jules Lefèvre Jules Lefèvre (1863 – May 1944) was a French biochemist and writer. He was for his work in bioenergetics, thermoregulation, and nutrition. His research in bioenergetics, particularly his 1911 publication ''Chaleur animale et bioénergétique ' ...

and other physicians. By 1906 there were 800 members of the Society. In 1901, the Society published his book ''La Philosophie de I' alimentation'' ("The Philosophy of Food"). Grand also authored the introduction to Louise Smeeckaert's ''La table du végétarien'', published by the Society. Grand made anatomical, physiological and ethical arguments for vegetarianism. In June 1900, he was chairman and a speaker at the International Vegetarian Congress organized in Paris. In his speech he commented "that vegetarianism contributes powerfully to making the better man; that it ensures his intellectual capacity; softens his relations with his fellow men and makes them more fraternal". He argued in his essays that meat is responsible for the degeneration of the French nation. He stated that a

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...

diet could prevent the misuse of alcohol. A paper he wrote on vegetarianism was read at the

International Vegetarian Union The International Vegetarian Union (IVU) is an international non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote vegetarianism. The IVU was founded in 1908 in Dresden, Germany. It is an umbrella organisation, which includes organisations from ...

's 1926 congress. He was an opponent of

vivisection Vivisection () is surgery conducted for experimental purposes on a living organism, typically animals with a central nervous system, to view living internal structure. The word is, more broadly, used as a pejorative catch-all term for Animal test ...

Theosophy

Grand combined

Theosophy Theosophy is a religious movement established in the United States in the late 19th century. Founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and based largely on her writings, it draws heavily from both older European philosophies such as Neop ...

and vegetarianism in his book ''Hygiene rationnelle vegetarisme'' ("Rational Hygiene, Vegetarianism"), published in 1912, stating that humans have a responsibility to protect animals. His vegetarianism incorporated theosophical ideas of an

astral body The astral body is a subtle body posited by many philosophers, intermediate between the intelligent soul and the mental body, composed of a subtle material. In many recensions the concept ultimately derives from the philosophy of Plato though th ...

and

reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the Philosophy, philosophical or Religion, religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new lifespan (disambiguation), lifespan in a different physical ...

. Grand also lectured on Theosophy in Amsterdam.

Selected publications

*''Du régime végétarien comme moyen préventif et curatif de l'alcoolisme'' ("Vegetarian Diet as a Preventative and Curative Means of Alcoholism"; 1899)
''La Philosophie de I'Alimentation''
("The Philosophy of Food"; 1901) *''Hygiène rationnelle, végétarisme: causeries du médecin'' ("Rational Hygiene, Vegetarianism: Doctor's Lectures"; 1912) *''The Philosophy of Diet'' (translated by F. Rothwell; 1905) *''Le vin'' ("Wine"; 1919)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grand, Jules 1846 births 1933 deaths 19th-century French male writers 19th-century French physicians 20th-century French non-fiction writers 20th-century French male writers 20th-century French physicians French anti-vivisectionists French book editors French medical writers French Theosophists French vegetarianism activists Vegetarianism writers Physicians from Paris Writers from Paris