Chris Green drew my attention on another list to an article in The Guardian on yet another theory to explain Darwin's curious set of ailments (see http://tinyurl.com/ydyommv ).
We've discussed this matter on a number of previous occasions. The best-known theory is that his condition was psychosomatic, brought on by anxiety associated with writing and promoting his Godless theory. The smart money says this theory is nonsense. The Guardian article is based on a report in the current Christmas edition of the BMJ, where they traditionally publish funny or quirky items saved up over the year (this year more quirky than funny). The article is "Darwin's illness revisited" by John Hayman. It's available at http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/339/dec11_2/b4968 (says extract only, but it lies) Hayman claims the disorder from which Darwin periodically suffered (and he really did suffer) is something called "cyclical vomiting syndrome" which is as nasty as it sounds. Two things strike me about Hayman's account. First, he reproduces from Darwin's diary a description of the early onset of seasickness on setting sail in the Beagle. Darwin says it caused him "great & unceasing suffering". Hayman comments, "Darwin's seasickness was clearly more severe than that normally experienced". As someone who gets sick on a ferrry ride, I can speak from experience. Darwin's description is about what one would expect for a sailing ship in the north Atlantic. I suspect that Hayman has himself never experienced this charming phenomenon. He should try it. Second, while Hayman lists and rules out a number of other possible diagnoses, I find it curious that he does not mention the most recent, Campbell and Matthews (2005), published in the sister publication of the BMJ, the Postgraduate Medical Journal. They cover much of the same ground as Hayman in rejecting other possibilities, but argue that the cause was lactose intolerance. See http://pmj.bmj.com/content/81/954/248.abstract and click on free pdf (may possibly require free registration if that doesn't work). Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any way to decide who's right. Digging Darwin up might help, but who's going to approve that, eh? I recall that the same tactic was proposed to solve controversy over Rene Descarte's bones, and his exhumation was initially allowed, but then later blocked by city officials. Stephen ----------------------------------------------------------------- Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Emeritus Bishop's University e-mail: sbl...@ubishops.ca 2600 College St. Sherbrooke QC J1M 1Z7 Canada ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu)
