Eugen Bleuler

Unver nderter Nachdruck der Originalausgabe von 1881.

Unver nderter Nachdruck der Originalausgabe von 1881.

Unver nderter Nachdruck der Originalausgabe von 1881.

Eugen Bleuler's treatise on schizophrenia provides an important glimpse into the history of mental illness, how psychiatric science came to understand, categorize and diagnose various types of psychosis. As the science and study of mental illness was formalized in the late 19th century, an understanding of the various types and subtypes of disorders emerged. Much headway was made into the identification of certain types of schizophrenia, the behaviors characterizing each of these, and the methods of arriving at an accurate diagnosis. It is thus that this paper, published by Bleuler in the early 20th century, represents a summation of the progress, and an evolution in how psychosis is termed. Prior to the publication of Bleuler's papers, the word schizophrenia - adapted from the Greek words `shattered' and `mind' - had no place in psychology. Rather, the term `Dementia praecox' was used as a generalized description for psychosis.

Eugen Bleuler's treatise on schizophrenia provides an important glimpse into the history of mental illness, how psychiatric science came to understand, categorize and diagnose various types of psychosis. As the science and study of mental illness was formalized in the late 19th century, an understanding of the various types and subtypes of disorders emerged. Much headway was made into the identification of certain types of schizophrenia, the behaviors characterizing each of these, and the methods of arriving at an accurate diagnosis. It is thus that this paper, published by Bleuler in the early 20th century, represents a summation of the progress, and an evolution in how psychosis is termed. Prior to the publication of Bleuler's papers, the word schizophrenia - adapted from the Greek words `shattered' and `mind' - had no place in psychology. Rather, the term `Dementia praecox' was used as a generalized description for psychosis.

This book marked a notable advance in psychiatry in that it emphasizes sharply the contrast between the older descriptive psychiatry of Kraeplin and the newer interpretative psychiatry of the present time which utilizes the psychoanalytical principles and general biological viewpoints developed by Freud and his pupils in Europe and by Meyer, Hoch, White and others. As an introduction to the study of clinical psychiatry the physician and the student will find the chapters dealing with the principles of psychology and psychopathalogy particularly helpful and stimulating.