German publications on anorexia nervosa in the nineteenth century

Abstract

After its first description in 1873, anorexia nervosa seems not to have attracted much attention in German‐speaking countries. Compared to French and English literature, German publications on the subject were rather scarce in the nineteenth century. This article gives an overview of those writings and an explanation of the lack of interest on the part of German‐speaking physicians. Apparently, anorexia nervosa did not appeal to them as a nosological entity distinct from the popular diagnosis of “nervous dyspepsia”.

The Myth of Chinese Barbies: eating disorders in China including Hong Kong

“…Sigmund Freud apparently treated a few anorexic patients in Vienna, but he focused more on their depression or sexual issues and regarded the self‐starvation as just another odd symptom (Vandereycken et al . ).…”

“…Many could not delve into the mental pathology of their cases until they considered Freudian theory, even if Freud did not apply his theory to his own patients (Parry‐Jones , Vandereycken et al . ). Once cases received recognition outside America and Europe, new manifestations of this condition became apparent, along with a reconsideration of dynamic interpretations.…”

The Myth of Chinese Barbies: eating disorders in China including Hong Kong

“…Sigmund Freud apparently treated a few anorexic patients in Vienna, but he focused more on their depression or sexual issues and regarded the self‐starvation as just another odd symptom (Vandereycken et al . ).…”

“…Many could not delve into the mental pathology of their cases until they considered Freudian theory, even if Freud did not apply his theory to his own patients (Parry‐Jones , Vandereycken et al . ). Once cases received recognition outside America and Europe, new manifestations of this condition became apparent, along with a reconsideration of dynamic interpretations.…”

Are eating disorders culture-bound syndromes? Implications for conceptualizing their etiology.

“…Independent descriptions of a similar syndrome appeared under the labels l'anorexie hysterique (Laségue, 1873) and anoressia (Brugnoli, 1875, as cited in Habermas, 1992b; Ruggerio, Prandin, & Mantero, 2001) throughout Europe at that time. Similarly, at the end of the nineteenth century, American physicians were beginning to differentiate anorexia as a syndrome distinct from the larger category of hysteria (Vandereycken & Lowenkopf, 1990), and German physicians were differentiating AN from the larger category of neurasthenic disorders (Vandereycken, Habermas, Van Deth, & Meermann, 1991). A paper presented at a meeting of the South Australian Branch of the British Medical Association in 1882 documented two cases of anorexia in young women in Australia (Vandereycken & Beumont, 1990), and Kissyel reported a case of severe hysterical anorexia in an 11-year-old girl in Russia in 1894 (as cited in DiNicola, 1990b).…”

Further evidence on early case descriptions of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

“…The theoretical background and tradition which made good descriptions of the clinical and psychological aspects of anorexia nervosa possible have been analyzed elsewhere (Habermas, 1991). A more detailed description of the German-language literature of the 19th Century and of the following years up to 1945 has also been given elsewhere (Vandereycken, Habermas, Deth, & Meermann, 1991; Habermas, in press).…”

The Myth of Chinese Barbies: eating disorders in China including Hong Kong

“…Sigmund Freud apparently treated a few anorexic patients in Vienna, but he focused more on their depression or sexual issues and regarded the self‐starvation as just another odd symptom (Vandereycken et al . ).…”

“…Many could not delve into the mental pathology of their cases until they considered Freudian theory, even if Freud did not apply his theory to his own patients (Parry‐Jones , Vandereycken et al . ). Once cases received recognition outside America and Europe, new manifestations of this condition became apparent, along with a reconsideration of dynamic interpretations.…”

Are eating disorders culture-bound syndromes? Implications for conceptualizing their etiology.

“…Independent descriptions of a similar syndrome appeared under the labels l'anorexie hysterique (Laségue, 1873) and anoressia (Brugnoli, 1875, as cited in Habermas, 1992b; Ruggerio, Prandin, & Mantero, 2001) throughout Europe at that time. Similarly, at the end of the nineteenth century, American physicians were beginning to differentiate anorexia as a syndrome distinct from the larger category of hysteria (Vandereycken & Lowenkopf, 1990), and German physicians were differentiating AN from the larger category of neurasthenic disorders (Vandereycken, Habermas, Van Deth, & Meermann, 1991). A paper presented at a meeting of the South Australian Branch of the British Medical Association in 1882 documented two cases of anorexia in young women in Australia (Vandereycken & Beumont, 1990), and Kissyel reported a case of severe hysterical anorexia in an 11-year-old girl in Russia in 1894 (as cited in DiNicola, 1990b).…”

Further evidence on early case descriptions of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

“…The theoretical background and tradition which made good descriptions of the clinical and psychological aspects of anorexia nervosa possible have been analyzed elsewhere (Habermas, 1991). A more detailed description of the German-language literature of the 19th Century and of the following years up to 1945 has also been given elsewhere (Vandereycken, Habermas, Deth, & Meermann, 1991; Habermas, in press).…”

The Myth of Chinese Barbies: eating disorders in China including Hong Kong

“…Sigmund Freud apparently treated a few anorexic patients in Vienna, but he focused more on their depression or sexual issues and regarded the self‐starvation as just another odd symptom (Vandereycken et al . ).…”

“…Many could not delve into the mental pathology of their cases until they considered Freudian theory, even if Freud did not apply his theory to his own patients (Parry‐Jones , Vandereycken et al . ). Once cases received recognition outside America and Europe, new manifestations of this condition became apparent, along with a reconsideration of dynamic interpretations.…”

Are eating disorders culture-bound syndromes? Implications for conceptualizing their etiology.

“…Independent descriptions of a similar syndrome appeared under the labels l'anorexie hysterique (Laségue, 1873) and anoressia (Brugnoli, 1875, as cited in Habermas, 1992b; Ruggerio, Prandin, & Mantero, 2001) throughout Europe at that time. Similarly, at the end of the nineteenth century, American physicians were beginning to differentiate anorexia as a syndrome distinct from the larger category of hysteria (Vandereycken & Lowenkopf, 1990), and German physicians were differentiating AN from the larger category of neurasthenic disorders (Vandereycken, Habermas, Van Deth, & Meermann, 1991). A paper presented at a meeting of the South Australian Branch of the British Medical Association in 1882 documented two cases of anorexia in young women in Australia (Vandereycken & Beumont, 1990), and Kissyel reported a case of severe hysterical anorexia in an 11-year-old girl in Russia in 1894 (as cited in DiNicola, 1990b).…”

Further evidence on early case descriptions of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

“…The theoretical background and tradition which made good descriptions of the clinical and psychological aspects of anorexia nervosa possible have been analyzed elsewhere (Habermas, 1991). A more detailed description of the German-language literature of the 19th Century and of the following years up to 1945 has also been given elsewhere (Vandereycken, Habermas, Deth, & Meermann, 1991; Habermas, in press).…”