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Background <p>Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) had long been interested in mental disease, which he also (ab)used for satirical purposes. He characterized various forms of madness in 1704, was elected governor of Bedlam in 1714, and in 1731 decided to dedicate his fortune to the founding of a&#xa0;first lunatic asylum in Ireland.</p> Objective <p>To identify and consider the nature of neuropsychiatric features described in <i>Gulliver’s Travels</i>.</p> Material &amp; methods <p>Literary works by and biographies of Jonathan Swift were examined together with the pertinent medical and historical specialist literature.</p> Results <p><i>Gulliver’s Travels</i>, primarily a&#xa0;political satire, was published 300 years ago. The adventures of the restless naval surgeon Lemuel Gulliver on various remote islands can be understood as a&#xa0;journey into psychosis with characteristic motor, sensory and cognitive features. After his return home an autistic Gulliver refuses contact with his own species, the <i>Yahoo</i>-like humans, including his family and prefers the company of horses. Seamen and <i>lunatic</i> inpatients apparently shared a&#xa0;number of environmental risk factors and features of <i>scorbutic nostalgia</i>.</p> Conclusion <p>Caution is advised when making a&#xa0;retrospective diagnosis, even with a&#xa0;fictional character like Lemuel Gulliver. If there were no hints at relevant organic causes—primarily hypovitaminoses—, one might suggest that Swift/Gulliver reported a&#xa0;number of characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia long before they were described in the medical literature.</p>

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Gullivers Reise in die Psychose – geleitet von Jonathan Swifts eigenen Erfahrungen

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年10月23日

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  • Hans Förstl

摘要

Background

Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) had long been interested in mental disease, which he also (ab)used for satirical purposes. He characterized various forms of madness in 1704, was elected governor of Bedlam in 1714, and in 1731 decided to dedicate his fortune to the founding of a first lunatic asylum in Ireland.

Objective

To identify and consider the nature of neuropsychiatric features described in Gulliver’s Travels.

Material & methods

Literary works by and biographies of Jonathan Swift were examined together with the pertinent medical and historical specialist literature.

Results

Gulliver’s Travels, primarily a political satire, was published 300 years ago. The adventures of the restless naval surgeon Lemuel Gulliver on various remote islands can be understood as a journey into psychosis with characteristic motor, sensory and cognitive features. After his return home an autistic Gulliver refuses contact with his own species, the Yahoo-like humans, including his family and prefers the company of horses. Seamen and lunatic inpatients apparently shared a number of environmental risk factors and features of scorbutic nostalgia.

Conclusion

Caution is advised when making a retrospective diagnosis, even with a fictional character like Lemuel Gulliver. If there were no hints at relevant organic causes—primarily hypovitaminoses—, one might suggest that Swift/Gulliver reported a number of characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia long before they were described in the medical literature.