Jean Noël Hallé

Who was Jean Noël Hallé?

Jean Noël Hallé was a French physician born in Paris. He was the son of painter Noël Hallé.

He was a professor of physical medicine and health at the École de Santé, and afterwards a professor at the Collège de France. He was a member of the French Académie Nationale de Médecine, and in 1795 was elected to the Académie des sciences, becoming its president in 1813. He was also "first-physician" to Napoleon Bonaparte.

Hallé was a pioneer of hygienic reform in France, and was a catalyst towards educating others as to its importance. He created distinctions between public and individual hygiene, and initiated studies and awareness involving the multiple issues that involve hygiene, such as contagious diseases, health in the workplace, and problems associated with living in a high density urban environment, to name a few.

He was co-editor of the 1813 Code des médicaments, and made contributions to the Dictionnaire des Sciences médicales. Also, he performed investigations of breast cancer, conducted research on the effects of camphor, and was a major advocate of vaccination.