Auguste-Henri Jacob | |
|---|---|
 Photo-card of Auguste-Henri Jacob in 1867. | |
| Born | March 6, 1828 |
| Died | October 23, 1913 (aged 85) |
| Resting place | Gentilly Cemetery |
| Occupation | Healer |
Auguste-Henri Jacob, better known as the Zouave Jacob, was born on March 6, 1828, in Saint-Martin-des-Champs, Saône-et-Loire, and died on October 23, 1913, in Paris. He was a renowned French healer during the Second Empire.
Jacob, the third trombone in the band of the Imperial Guard zouave regiment, first came to public attention in 1866 at the Châlons camp, where he performed some healings attributed to the supposed effects of his fluid. In the following year, his purported healings in greater numbers on rue de la Roquette in Paris made him famous, and he was notably caricatured by André Gill. However, this fame was short-lived, as two marshals soon debunked the press reports of an alleged healing.
Subsequently, the Zouave, who continued his healing activities until his death, garnered significantly less media attention, except for instances when he was prosecuted for the illicit practice of medicine, which established legal precedents. He died in 1913, leaving unresolved the questions of whether he was a charlatan or a miracle worker, and whether these healings were due to something beyond his powers of persuasion. According to several sources, his authoritarian healing methods foreshadowed those of evangelists. Several books appeared under his name, though it is uncertain if he was the author. After his death, his grave in the Gentilly cemetery became the site of persistent devotion.