How neurasthenia was first described

[Hoopoe]

I found what is said to be the first description of neurasthenia in the medical literature. This might be of interest to some here.

Among the causes, excessive mental labor, especially
when conjoined with anxiety and deficient nourishment,
ranks first. It is also traceable to depressing emotions,
grief domestic trouble, prolonged anxiety and pecuniary
embarrassment; hemori-hage and debilitating diseases,
following or coincident with depressing mental influen-
ces and sleeplessness. Prolonged exposure in a malarial
region under certain circumstances may also induce it.

Its leading symptoms are general malaise, impaired
nutrition and assimilation; muscular atonicity, changing
the expression of the countenance; uterine displacements,
with consequent results, and neuralgias of debility, cer-
ebral ainemia, with accompanying tendency to hyperes.
thesia, irritability, mental depression, impaired intellec-
tion, melancholia and mania.

 

[Dx Revision Watch]

Arsenic and strychnine beneficial, eh?

 

[Hoopoe]

Arsenic and strychnine beneficial, eh?

One wonders to what degree the symptoms of neurasthenia were being caused by the treatment.

 

[DokaGirl]

Alcohol intolerance; interesting.

I couldn't make it all the way through this article. If I was physician in that period, I would find this article interesting, but somewhat overwhelming, and confusing.