Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 920

CHARLES MICHEL DE LEPEE (1712-1789) Institutions des sourds et muets. Chez Nyon l'aîné 1776 Vol. I: viii, 228 pp.; Vol. II: 132 [4] pp. 16.9 cm.

Along with Rodriguez Pereira (1715-1780) and Johann Konraad Amman (1663-1730), Abbé L'Épée played an important role in working to better the condition of the physically handicapped during the eighteenth century. Born at Paris, L'Épée studied for the priesthood but was denied ordination when he refused to sign a statement opposing the views of the Jansenists. He then studied law but, just before being admitted to the bar, was granted ordination. L'Épée later became involved in instructing deaf mutes and went on to develop an instructional system which formed the basis of the methodology and techniques used today. He began the first school for deaf mutes at Paris in 1755 and maintained it largely at his own expense. In 1791 L'Épée's school became the Institution Nationale des Sourds Muets. In the present work, he reports on the methods he employed to teach his pupils to understand and respond to French (even to the conjugation of verbs) by means of facial expressions and hand signs. However, his methods were later superseded by dactylology--sign language of the hands and fingers.

Cited references: Garrison-Morton 3358; Waller 5723; Wellcome III, p. 494

Gift of John Martin, M.D.