Re: When hypochondriacs are sadly proved right, Muiris Houston, Healthplus, July 29th.
Dear Editor,
I was very disappointed with Muiris Houston's article on hypochondria.
He mentions Boswell going through life "convinced that he had an incurable sexually transmitted disease" as evidence of his hypochondria.
Yet, a little research would have revealed that Boswell engaged in high-risk behaviour that resulted in him suffering many STD attacks throughout his adult life.
Indeed, sexually transmitted infection is believed to have contributed to his death.
In the 18th century antibiotics weren't available, so infections which can be treated successfully now were potentially more serious then.
Charles Darwin, likewise, lived in an era when medical practice as we know it was in its infancy.
If Darwin had lived in a time when more advanced medical testing was available, he may have received a positive medical diagnosis.
Orrego and Quintana (2007) have studied his medical history and argued that he may have had Crohn's disease.
Marcel Proust, who is also mentioned in Houston's article as a hypochondriac, suffered from serious lung problems from childhood - the effects of which were mistaken by some as hypochondria.
Unfortunately, he self-medicated (not unusual at the time) which probably caused other health problems.
Proust died in his early 50s as a result of chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathia.
If he had lived in a different age perhaps he could have had successful treatment from childhood which could have prevented his lifelong health problems and early death.
It is a pity that Muiris Houston's article did not cover the problem of false labelling of hypochondria.
Unfortunately, this is not something confined to the distant past.
Some of the people who developed Hepatitis C from contaminated blood products were treated initially as if they were hypochondriacs.
Further advances in medical knowledge and technology could result in some people currently labelled as hypochondriacs being rediagnosed with organic medical conditions.
Yours sincerely,
Orla Ni Chomhrai, Knocknacarra, Galway