The Anatomy of Melancholy

A Section 2. Causes of melancholy are either:

Sections: 1.2.

General. Member 1. Supernatural: From God directly, or through secondary causes. Subsection 1. Or from the devil directly, with a digression on the nature of spirits and devils. Subsection 2. Or indirectly through magicians and witches. Subsection 3.

Sections: 1.2.1.1; 1.2.1.2; 1.2.1.3.

Or natural: Primary causes, such as the stars, demonstrated by aphorisms and signs drawn from physiognomy, reading the forehead, and palmistry. Subsection 4.

Sections: 1.2.1.4.

Secondary causes: Inborn, internal causes arising from: Old age and bodily constitution. Subsection 5. Parents, since it is a hereditary disease. Subsection 6.

Sections: 1.2.1.5; 1.2.1.6.

Or external or acquired causes, which are: Evident, external, remote, acquired causes: Necessary causes: see “Necessary causes” below.

Sections: 1.2.2; 1.2.3.

Causes not necessary. Section 2, Member 4. Nurses. Subsection 1. Upbringing. Subsection 2. Terrors and frights. Subsection 3. Mockery, slander, cruel jokes. Subsection 4. Loss of freedom, servitude, imprisonment. Subsection 5. Poverty and deprivation. Subsection 6. A multitude of other misfortunes: the death of friends, loss, etc. Subsection 7.

Sections: 1.2.4.1; 1.2.4.2; 1.2.4.3; 1.2.4.4; 1.2.4.5; 1.2.4.6; 1.2.4.7.

Or incidental internal causes, antecedent and most immediate. Section 2, Member 5. In these, the body acts on the mind, and the malady is caused by previous diseases, such as fevers, pox, etc., or by an innate constitution. Subsection 1. Or by disorders of particular parts: brain, heart, spleen, liver, mesentery, pylorus, stomach, etc. Subsection 2.

Sections: 1.2.5.1; 1.2.5.2.

Or causes particular to the three species: see the following outline.

Sections: 1.2.5.3; 1.2.5.4; 1.2.5.5.

Particular causes. Section 2, Member 5. Of head melancholy. Subsection 3. Internal: An innate humour, or one scorched by a disordered constitution. A hot brain; corrupted blood in the brain. Excessive or insufficient sexual activity. Fevers or some previous disease. Vapours rising from the stomach, etc.

Sections: 1.2.5.3.

Or external: Excessive heat from the sun. A blow to the head. Excessive use of heating wines, spices, garlic, onions, hot baths; too much wakefulness, etc. Idleness, solitude, excessive study, strenuous labour, etc. Passions, disturbances, etc.

Sections: 1.2.5.3.

Of hypochondriacal, or windy, melancholy. Subsection 4: Internal: Disorders of the spleen, abdomen, bowels, stomach, mesentery, mesenteric veins, liver, etc. Suppressed menstrual periods, bleeding from haemorrhoids, or any other customary discharge. Or external: Mismanagement of the six non-natural things.

Sections: 1.2.5.4.

Of melancholy throughout the body. Subsection 5. Internal: A disordered, obstructed, overheated liver, liable to generate melancholy; an innate constitution. Or external: Bad diet, suppression of bleeding from haemorrhoids and similar discharges, passions, cares, etc.; mismanagement of the six non-natural things.

Sections: 1.2.5.5.