Jacques de Béthencourt (; fl. early 16th century) was a French physician who practiced medicine in
Rouen
Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...
. He is remembered for coining the term
venereal disease
A sexually transmitted infection (STI), also referred to as a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and the older term venereal disease (VD), is an infection that is spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, or ...
.
As a Frenchman, Béthencourt resented the term ''Morbus Gallicus'' (French disease), which was a popular name for sexually transmitted diseases at the time. He believed that since the disease originated from "illicit love" it should be named ''Morbus Venereus'' (Malady of Venus) or ''lues venerea'' (venereal disease). Béthencourt believed it to be a new disease that was unknown to the ancients.
In 1527, Béthencourt published a book called ''Nouveau Cartme de penitence'' or the "New Book of Penance". Here he uses medical and moral judgments regarding the disease. In this treatise he creates an argument as to whether
guaiacum
''Guaiacum'' (''OED'' 2nd edition, 1989.Entry "guaiacum" in mercury is the best cure, and to what level of suffering a patient should have to endure in order to "be taught a necessary lesson".
Jacques
Jacques or Jacq are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over one hundred identified noble families related t ...