Jones, Ernest (1879-1958), a British physician, helped introduce the principles of psychoanalysis in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. He was a friend and strong supporter of Sigmund Freud, the Austrian physician who developed psychoanalysis as a method of treating mental illness. Jones wrote The Life and Work of Sigmund Freud (1953-1957), a three-volume biography of Freud.
Jones was born in what is now Gowerton, Wales, near Swansea, on Jan. 1, 1879. He received his medical degree from University College of London in 1903. He later studied neurology and psychiatry and became interested in psychoanalysis. Jones met Freud in 1908 and worked from then on to promote psychoanalysis. His efforts contributed to the eventual acceptance of Freud’s theories by physicians and other scientists.
Jones helped establish the American Psychoanalytic Association in 1911 and the British Psycho-Analytical Society in 1913. He also served as editor of the International Journal of Psycho-Analysis. Jones wrote many articles supporting his theory that psychoanalysis provides greater understanding of art, literature, and other creative fields. He died on Feb. 11, 1958.
