Dissertation on the Influence of the Passions Upon Disorders of the Body (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

William Falconer

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0483348465 ISBN 13: 9780483348462

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Dissertation on the Influence of the Passions Upon Disorders of the Body surveys how human feelings shape health and disease.

It blends historical reflection with clinical observation to show that emotions can both provoke and relieve illness, and it argues that a doctor should understand the mind as well as the body. Readers will see how ancient and early modern ideas inform medical practice and patient care.

The work frames medicine as a partnership between science and sympathy, offering guidance on how physicians should interact with patients, manage difficult cases, and maintain authority without losing humanity. It examines how passions like fear, anger, and grief influence symptoms, recovery, and the mind’s role in disease, while also addressing practical matters of treatment, patient demeanor, and physician conduct.

• Historical perspective on the mind–body link in medicine and its practical implications for care.
• How ancient authorities and early medical writers described the influence of passions on health and disease.
• Advice for physicians on maintaining authority, balancing sympathy with professional judgment, and guiding patients through treatment.
• Examples of how substances and remedies were viewed for their effects on nerves, mood, and bodily functions.

Ideal for readers of medical history, 18th‑century clinical practice, and those interested in the roots of mind–body medicine.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0483348465
• ISBN 13: 9780483348462
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 186