Disease and Male Identity in the Age of Enlightenment

Abstract

In the literature of the 18th century reference is made to a number of diseases which are no longer diagnosed and which were pertinent to male patients only. Their idiosyncracy of symptoms formed part of the male idenity of the period. their understanding is based upon the theories of humoural pathology and their treatment discussed in various guides to health. The interconnection between them became obvious two centuries later following the psychoanalytic findings of Sigmund Freud.

Keywords: psychoanalysis, hypochondria, onanism, autoeroticism