David Hume and the ‘Disease of the Learned’ – psychiatry in philosophy

David Hume and the ‘Disease of the Learned’ – psychiatry in philosophy

In 1734, Hume wrote (although may not have sent) a letter to an unnamed physician, who was possibly the ‘proto-psychiatrist’ Dr George Cheyne, author of The English Malady. In this letter, Hume described losing his enthusiasm for philosophical works, as well as some somatic symptoms, such as hypersa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of psychiatry Vol. 217; no. 3; p. 524
Main Author: Butler, Matthew
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01-09-2020
Subjects:
Extras
Hume, David (1711-1776)
Pitch
Pleasure
Psychiatry
Somatic symptoms
Wine
Wines
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Summary:In 1734, Hume wrote (although may not have sent) a letter to an unnamed physician, who was possibly the ‘proto-psychiatrist’ Dr George Cheyne, author of The English Malady. In this letter, Hume described losing his enthusiasm for philosophical works, as well as some somatic symptoms, such as hypersalivation: ‘about the beginning of Septr 1729, all my Ardor seem'd in a moment to be extinguisht, & I cou'd no longer raise my Mind to that pitch, which formerly gave me such excessive Pleasure. […] Drunk an English Pint of Claret Wine every Day, & rode 8 or 10 Scotch Miles.
ISSN:0007-1250
1472-1465
DOI:10.1192/bjp.2020.76