Étienne Eugène Azam

Étienne Eugène Azam (1822-1899) was a French surgeon from Bordeaux who is chiefly remembered for his work in psychology, particularly a case involving a female patient he named "Félida X" who seemed to have "alternating personalities", or what Azam referred to as doublement de la vie.

For several years Azam personally studied Félida's psychological profile and published three written works concerning it. He describes Félida as a hysterical patient who had a serious and sad (normal) state, along with a merry and generous state. He analyzed these two states as two distinct, separate personalities that seemed to be unaware of the other.

The case of Félida X is one of the earliest documented descriptions of what would later be called a multiple personality disorder. At the time, this situation garnered interest in the medical community, including the famed psychologist Pierre Janet (1859-1947). It also created several puzzling questions in regards to the concept of Self, as well as to the definition of personal Ego. Also, from a quasi-religious context, the concept of multiple personalities was contrary to the paranormal belief system of Spiritualism, which had a large following in the 19th century.

Selected work

 * Hypnotisme, double conscience et altérations de la personnalité: le cas Félida X (Hypnotism, double conscience and deteriorations of the personality: the case Félida X), (1887); Étienne Eugene Azam, with an introduction by Serge Nicolas.