Figure dell’ isteria. Dall’ invenzione francese alla clinica psicoanalitica
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BOOK REVIEWS Figure dell’ isteria. Dall’ invenzione francese alla clinica psicoanalitica F.M. Ferro, G. Riefolo Métes, Chieti, 1996, pp. 308 , Lit. 32.000 This book should be read as a map that guides the reader through more than two centuries from the French invention of hys- teria to the psychoanalytical studies. According to the authors there are three interwining ways to deal with this topic: nosography, semeiology and aetiology. A rich French alienist anthology docu- ments the nosographic aspects and draws the images and the stigmata of hysteria via classical psychiatric iconography. Morel, for example, through the cases of Lucie, Catherine and Françoise, identified some features of the hysterical mania and its erot- ic and religious contents. Azam explained by the case of Felidé the phenomenon of the double conscience. Lasègue detected the clinical characteristics of hysteria in some girls presenting active refusal of food, vomiting, amenorrhea (that is to say, anorexia nervosa). With reference to this last set of symptoms, Janet pointed out that the hysterical delusions that lead the patients to starve themselves and to die of hunger were frequent and dangerous. Charcot showed the suggestibility of the hysterical patients and the experimental reproducibility of the clinical pictures. He emphasized the link between symptoms and traumatic events and demonstrated the role that hypnosis played in the treatment o hysteria. His semeiological approach showed that symbolic factors were impor tantly involved in the formation of the symptoms and that words could be cura tive. Charcot opened the road to the Freud’s etiologic hypotheses that at first focused on the role of actual seduction (or other trau ma) and then on the unconscious elabora tion of the child’s sexual drive. Hysteria was not accepted as a diagnostic term in DSM-III (1980), in DSM-III-R (1987) in ICD-10 (1993) and in DSM-IV (1994). A substantial question is: why did the diagnostic category hysteria recently disap pear not only in psychiatry but in psycho analysis too? Ferro and Riefolo offer a very interesting historical contribution to this subject. Paola Biesta APLI - Associazione Psicanalitica Lacaniana Italiana Via Voghera 31 00182 Roma, Italia 110
Transcript of Figure dell’ isteria. Dall’ invenzione francese alla clinica psicoanalitica
BOOKREVIEWS
Figure dell’ isteria. Dall’ invenzione francese alla clinicapsicoanalitica
F.M. Ferro, G. RiefoloMétes, Chieti, 1996, pp. 308 , Lit. 32.000
This book should be read as a map thatguides the reader through more than twocenturies from the French invention of hys-teria to the psychoanalytical studies.
According to the authors there are threeinterwining ways to deal with this topic:nosography, semeiology and aetiology.
A rich French alienist anthology docu-ments the nosographic aspects and drawsthe images and the stigmata of hysteria viaclassical psychiatric iconography. Morel,for example, through the cases of Lucie,Catherine and Françoise, identified somefeatures of the hysterical mania and its erot-ic and religious contents. Azam explainedby the case of Felidé the phenomenon ofthe double conscience. Lasègue detectedthe clinical characteristics of hysteria insome girls presenting active refusal of food,vomiting, amenorrhea (that is to say,anorexia nervosa). With reference to thislast set of symptoms, Janet pointed out thatthe hysterical delusions that lead thepatients to starve themselves and to die ofhunger were frequent and dangerous.
Charcot showed the suggestibility of thehysterical patients and the experimentalreproducibility of the clinical pictures. He
emphasized the link between symptoms andtraumatic events and demonstrated the rolethat hypnosis played in the treatment ohysteria. His semeiological approachshowed that symbolic factors were importantly involved in the formation of thesymptoms and that words could be curative.
Charcot opened the road to the Freud’setiologic hypotheses that at first focused onthe role of actual seduction (or other trauma) and then on the unconscious elaboration of the child’s sexual drive.
Hysteria was not accepted as a diagnosticterm in DSM-III (1980), in DSM-III-R (1987)in ICD-10 (1993) and in DSM-IV (1994).
A substantial question is: why did thediagnostic category hysteria recently disappear not only in psychiatry but in psychoanalysis too? Ferro and Riefolo offer a veryinteresting historical contribution to thissubject.
Paola BiestaAPLI - Associazione Psicanalitica
Lacaniana ItalianaVia Voghera 31
00182 Roma, Italia
110
