Royal Free Epidemic of 1955: A Reconsideration

Epidemic Hysteria: A Review of the Published Literature

“…Although most published reports of outbreaks describe situations in which all those who became ill (or at least all but the index case) have no objective physical findings, one is left wondering about the mix of illness with objective clinical findings and hysterical illness that may occur in situations of mass environmental exposures but that are only occasionally reported (13,34,74,75). Generally, the concept of epidemic hysteria is not introduced in training programs in epidemiology, and epidemiologists may not be aware that an epidemic form of hysteria exists, that it might be the sole cause of the illness under investigation, or that it might be operating in conjunction with other diseases (2, 14-16, 46, 75, 107, 108).…”

“…The reports have generated letters to editors (21,25,(88)(89)(90)(91)(92), and multiple articles per outbreak are common. Of the 70 outbreaks reported here, 13 have generated two articles ( (13,86,100). Once published, the reports have to be readily available to those seeking information.…”

Psychosocial responses to environmental incidents: A review and a proposed typology

“…Those affected may reject professional reassurances, particularly if psychosocial etiologies are invoked [4,98]. Sometimes, professionals themselves become personally identified with an episode [103]. In his account of the rise of clinical ecology and multiple chemical sensitivity, Shorter [104] described how the activities of a few professionals played a central role in the spread of the new concepts, often in the face of professional opposition.…”

Chronic fatigue syndrome: is the biopsychosocial model responsible for patient dissatisfaction and harm?

“…2 In the 1980s, doctors combined theories of neurasthenia, hysteria, and somatoform illness, to reconstitute ME as 'chronic fatigue syndrome'. Psychiatrists argued that CFS was best understood using a biopsychosocial (BPS) framework, being perhaps triggered by viral illness (biology), but maintained by certain personality traits (psychology) and social conditions (sociology).…”