Ludwig Binswanger has a special position in contemporary psychology. His analysis of memory is used by him to investigate existential assumptions that serve as ontological preconditions for all mental functions. Binswanger relies on Martin Heidegger's philosophy and this approach saves him from having to face numerous dilemmas that typically turn up in the borderline area between psychotherapy and psychology
Using as a basis for the study the manuscripts of the Societe royale de medicine dealing with diseases of craftsmen in the 18th century, it is interesting to pick out in the language of both the doctors and the work inspectors of the time the ambiguous articulations which establish a link between the needs for order in the city, for efficient work and for an enlightened humanism. The style of speech, which begins to take form as early as 1768, already contains all of the elements which underly the dominant 19th-century ideology concerning the worker's body, his mores, his production capacity and what his family life should be. The 18th-century humanist already dreamed of well-lighted work-shops; everything that is opaque was easily blamed on the worker; he must therefore be educated in order to be saved from himself. (The paper was published in 'Annales. Economies, Societes, Civilisation', 32e année, 1977, n. 5, ss. 993–1000, entitled: Les artisans malades de leur travail).
The author begins with the vivid discussion between German physicians after the death of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II and analyses both patients' experiences and the character of medical practices at the end of the 18th century. At that time sick or/and ill people could choose from the vast arsenal of services offered by doctors, healers, surgeons etc. The access to a particular category of 'specialists' depended primarily on patient's wealth. In consequence, patients were cured in their own beds (i.e. in their house) or in the hospital (i.e. a place, where poor, needed people could receive assistance and help). The author points out that the number of therapists (if all categories of them are included) was not so low, as some historians believe. In the article he revises i.e. the wide-spread opinion that physicians in the 18th century achieved a high hierarchical social status and were paid well.
The article is a reprint of an introduction to the book 'Les Machines a guerir. Aux origins de l'hopital modern; dossiers et documents' originally entitled 'La politique de la sante au XVIIIe siecle'. It was also published in Michel Foucault's 'Dits et ecrits' (vol. II, text no. 168, Gallimard, Paris 1994, 2001).
Contemporary health sciences cooperate with psychology aiming at understanding illness. One of the branches of psychological discipline, which is very important to this aim, is the health psychology. The Multidimensional Essence of Disease and Illness Scale (MEDIS), designed by J. Sak, refers to the methodology of health psychology. The MEDIS scale factors describe: self realisation constraints, mental dysfunction, physical dysfunction, infection and social withdrawal. The scale includes 28 items about 'to be ill'.
The aim of this article is to present how illness is seen in Tamil culture and to indicate some important connections between the power of Mariyamman, the Smallpox Goddess, and the weather phenomena as well as the physical condition of her worshippers. We seek to answer the questions why the Goddess sometimes treats her devotees so cruelly and on what condition they survive her wrath. Furthermore, the relationship between the worshipper and the adored deity is analysed and the main circumstances and conditions which her believer has to fulfil in order to stay in good health, such as special prayers or eating 'cold' food, are discussed. These efforts sometimes may save one from illness but they are worth nothing without great faith and total submission to the Goddess. It is said that when Mariyamman enters the body of her believers she shows them her love and affection. On the other hand, the symptoms of disease can be taken as her wrath and wish to destroy those who did not obey the rules and instructions she instituted. In most of the cases, the best solution for worshippers who suffer from smallpox is to stay at home and wait till the Goddess releases them from her influence. It is believed that if it happens that a sick person has to go to hospital, Mariyamman would be even more angry and may kill him/her immediately.
After a brief initial excursus on the topos of illness in literary criticism and the so-called “Narrative Medicine”, I analyse this theme as found in the work of Małgorzata Lebda, and particularly in the collections Matecznik (2016) and Granica lasu (2013), in which the poet tells her personal story, displaying a changing enigmatic nature which is a place of the soul both real and mysterious at the same time. Lebda describes the encounter with the disease in a clear, direct language style and by means of a narrative that gives a therapeutic meaning to her experience, and places it in a natural universe filled with multiple correspondences and resonances. The constant metaphorisation of the poetic images becomes a way to convey evocative, deep emotions which, thus mediated, can express themselves with all their evocative power.
So far the critics have not provided a proper reflection upon the problem of the flesh and phisicality in the works of Alexander Galich and Vladimir Vysotsky, the two classics of an author’s song. For Galich and Vysotsky, the flesh is not only the object of description, but also the element that creates new topics and meanings (death, illness, cannibalism) which reflect the immortality of a culture and its humanistic values. What is more, the poets take advantage of numerous possibilities that the flesh gives them both in the process of writing and in the act of performing their songs in front of the audience.
Political, economic and cultural changes occurring in the Poland after the War War II influenced the profound social shift observed in the sphere of everyday life of different social groups.
In the nineteenth century, the state of medical knowledge, also in Prussia changed tremendously. There was a great advancement of gynecology, which became a university subject. Moreover, a number of state obstetrics schools came into being, replacing the midwife-amateur. Some attempts of more human treatment of patients with mental illnesses were made; however, knowledge in this field was rather remote. The 18th and 19th c. gripe were epidemics such as smallpox, measles, fever, typhoid, cholera, tuberculosis, dysentery, which still collected massive harvest at that time. Syphilis was a significant problem, especially in the army. The improvement in the treatment of smallpox occurred only after the introduction of compulsory vaccination. The emergence of antiseptics and anesthesia was the great innovation of the nineteenth century. This allows the vast decreased in maternal mortality. Until the end of the century the mortality rate was very high, and human life short. The number of physicians increased, but there were still few and still they were an urban phenomenon. In 1849 in Prussia, 80% of 5595 doctors lived in cities, much more in eastern than western provinces. In the rural areas, due to the absence of doctors, healers, religious and folk medicine were of great significance. For the first time idea of the modern hospital appeared in the eighteen century, in the nineteenth century it became a mass phenomenon. Since the eighteenth century there was a much vaster structure of state administration with the Ministry of Health at the helm, including a city and county doctors. Gradually significant improvement in the quality of food at lower layers decreased the incidence and improved quality of life. Fertilization increased yields, the growth of potatoes became prevalence, sugar beet, grown up cattle and increased intake of meat. The meat started to be froze. Along with it and the popularization of the rail, the area's affected by hunger were more easily resured by fast shipment and export over long distances.
The article deals with the prayers and liturgical rituals that are used in relation to a person who is dying or has already died. The prayers and canons, that we discuss here, relate to people who have not yet attained the peace, which is offered in the heavenly kingdom and to those that have yet to struggle with death during their final moments. The Greek word 'agonia' describes a sporting contest or, in theological terms, a spiritual combat and race. This word is also used in relation to a person who is dying, but still displays signs of life. The dying person is thus in agony and is struggling with death. During this period, the Church offers help in the form of the sacraments, such as the Eucharist, repentance, and prayers. The sacraments and prayers offer hope for eternal life and life in the Kingdom of God.
The article analyses Sister Faustina's Diary - Divine Mercy in my Soul, which reveals the exceptional ability of the author to transcend pain and sanctify it. Tuberculosis and the related suffering were for Sister Faustina a sign of being chosen, called to accomplish the mission of salvation. The teleologisation of the illness is an example of her Christian interpretation where intentionality of physical suffering interweaves with the vision of the Passion. From the perspective of psychopathology, one the other hand, the mission of the saint is reduced to visual and auditory hallucinations with the sublimation of human drives being at their source. The experience of chronic health dysfunction leaves an open road to interpretation. The illness can, as in the case of Sister Faustina, be subjected to cultural and religious signification or stripped of any meaning. The author draws attention to the interpretation of Sister Kowalska's case from the perspective of medical anthropology. In this interpretation the illness becomes a relativised text of culture, which implies the necessity for a holistic approach. Cultural anthropology (and its subdiscipline, i.e. medical anthropology) overcomes the limitations of biomedical paradigm, showing that the illness is a phenomenon at the intersection of many discourses and ideologies. The main aim of the article is to show the worldviews which orientate contemporary reflection on the problem of health and illness, discussed in both the contextual and general theoretical dimensions.
JavaScript is turned off in your web browser. Turn it on to take full advantage of this site, then refresh the page.