Willis - [PSYCHOLOGIE] Hystericae et Hypochondricae - 1671

Rarity!!!
[Medicine, Hysteria, Psychology]


Thomas Willis, 1671:

Affections called hysterical and hypochondriacal
Of Blood Ignition
De Motu Musculari





‘Affections called hysterical and hypochondriacal’ (1671) is Thomas Willis’s fundamental monograph on hysteria and hypochondria, in which he interprets these conditions as spasmodic diseases of the brain and nervous system, not merely ‘imagined’ or purely gynecological disorders. Unlike many predecessors, Willis attributes symptoms such as paralysis, cramps, fainting, shortness of breath, stomach and heart complaints, as well as emotional crises, to disturbed ‘nervous juices’ and the misdirection of the vital spirits, which originate in the brain and act throughout the body. Hysteria in women and hypochondria in men appear to him as variants of the same fundamental disease, with different preferred organ references (uterus or abdominal organs), but sharing a common nervous pathophysiology. The work is structured—following the early modern schema—into physiology, pathology, and therapy: first, Willis explains the normal function of the brain, nerves, and ‘spirits’; then he describes in detail the origin, course, and variety of hysterical and hypochondriacal attacks; finally, he offers therapeutic recommendations ranging from dietetics and regulation of lifestyle to medicines and measures to strengthen, calm, and drain. The goal of all these approaches is to restore a harmonious flow of nerves and vital spirits, thereby alleviating both physical and mental complaints, and with this, Willis becomes one of the pioneers of a neuropsychiatric interpretation of these ‘affections.’



14x7.5cm. 172 pages. Parchment binding, solid binding, new endpapers, at the beginning and at the end, the lower part shows signs of moisture staining, slightly stained; older restorations (especially along the free lower edges). Condition also documented in my photos, which are an essential part of the description. Signed and dated 1719 at the beginning. An extremely rare work.

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