Auguste Forel

Auguste Forel
Auguste-Henri Forel towards the end of his life
Born	1 September 1848 Morges, Switzerland
Died	27 July 1931 (1931-07-28) (aged 82) Yvorne, Switzerland
Nationality	Swiss
Fields	Myrmecology Neuroanatomist Psychiatrist
Known for	Contributions to sexology and myrmecology
Influenced	Eugen Bleuler Hans Hunziker Adolf Meyer

Auguste-Henri Forel (1 September 1848 – 27 July 1931) was a Swiss myrmecologist, neuroanatomist, psychiatrist and eugenicist, notable for his investigations into the structure of the human brain and that of ants. For example, he is considered a co-founder of the neuron theory. Forel is also known for his early contributions to sexology and psychology.

From 1978 until 2000 Forel’s image appeared on the 1000 Swiss franc banknote.

Born in villa La Gracieuse, Morges, Switzerland, Forel had a diverse and mixed career as a thinker on many subjects. He was appointed professor of psychiatry in 1879 at the University of Zurich Medical School. He not only ran the Burghölzli asylum there, but continued to publish papers on insanity, prison reform, and social morality. Forel named his home as La Fourmilière —the Ant Colony. Around 1900 Forel was a eugenicist. Forel suffered a stroke that paralyzed his right side in 1912, but he taught himself to write with his left hand and was able to continue his studies. By 1914 he was a good friend of the eminent British entomologist Horace Donisthorpe, with whom he stayed in Switzerland; his ardent socialist views frequently caused political arguments between the two. After hearing of the religion from his son in law, in 1920 he became a member of the Bahá'í Faith, abandoning his earlier racist and socialist views saying,