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Le Malade imaginaire prints public doctor-satire that can teach distrust of medicine

In February 1673 Le Malade imaginaire made physicians a public joke while the author, ill, played the hypochondriac. Satire can unmask fees and can thin trust. In the causal graph this event weakens Health-System Capacity, a driver that strengthens Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) — a worsening welfare path.

Le Malade imaginaire prints public doctor-satire that can teach distrust of medicine

Sources: [1][2]

Read the full account

In February 1673 Le Malade imaginaire made physicians a public joke while the author, ill, played the hypochondriac.

Context

Satire can unmask fees and can thin trust. Split the death-after-performance as the church/burial row, which is not his medical theory.

Molière’s documented role is bounded by other offices and collaborators named in the sources below.

Why it matters

A farce is not 1666’s Médecin malgré lui only; this is the last, gravest joke.

Who was responsible

Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.

  • Molière

    Person

    Direct responsibility

    responsibility level 0.55 · verified

What changed

Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.

    1. FactLe Malade imaginaire prints public doctor-satire that can teach distrust of medicine
    2. weakensDriverHealth-System Capacity
    3. strengthensIndicators (2)Hospital beds (per 1,000 people)
    Worsening path

    impact weight 0.5 · Effect from 10 February 1673 · verified

    • Hospital beds (per 1,000 people)

      via Health-System Capacity

      Worse

      Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.3 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.6)

      Observed

      3.08 Per 1000 people · 1.24 below the normal line (2023)

      Worse than normal

      6 readings, 2018–2023: rose from 3.07 Per 1000 people to 3.08 Per 1000 people.

      Above normal = better

    • Under-five mortality rate (global)

      via Health-System Capacity

      Worse

      Weakens · Relationship strength 0.25 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.5)

      Observed

      37.4 deaths per 1,000 live births · 12.4 above the normal line (2024)

      Worse than normal

      7 readings, 2018–2024: fell from 40 deaths per 1,000 live births to 37.4 deaths per 1,000 live births.

      Above normal = worse

Evidence

The sources behind this fact and its verification state.

Verified2 sources on file
  1. 1.Britannica — MolièreEncyclopaedia Britannica · High credibility · verified
  2. 2.Gallica — Bibliothèque nationale de FranceBibliothèque nationale de France · High credibility · verified
What the sources establish

Britannica and Gallica independently date the 10 February 1673 Palais-Royal opening.

Established: 1673 public Malade imaginaire. Not established: a unique Paris death-rate from the play.

Contribution type is direct.

Causal path

How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.

  1. ActorMolière
  2. contributed toFactLe Malade imaginaire prints public doctor-satire that can teach distrust of medicine
  3. weakensDriverHealth-System Capacity
  4. strengthensIndicatorHospital beds (per 1,000 people)

Cite this page

Factrail. (2026). Le Malade imaginaire prints public doctor-satire that can teach distrust of medicine. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/mol-doctor-satires

https://factrail.ai/facts/mol-doctor-satires

Accessed 16 October 2026.

By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed

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