Colin McEvedy

Dr Colin Peter McEvedy (1930-2005) was a British consultant psychiatrist McEvedy best known for his research on hysteria, bubonic plague and the history of polio.

Benign myalgic encephalomyelitis controversy

In 1970, Colin McEvedy and fellow psychiatrist A William Beard published an influential study of 15 epidemics of myalgic encephalomyelitis, then known as benign myalgic encephalomyelitis, concluding that the illness was the result of psychosocial phenomena, and caused by either "mass hysteria on the part of patients" or "altered medical perception of the community".

Notable studies

• 1970, Concept of Benign Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (Full text)

See also

• History of myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome
• William Beard
• Epidemic myalgic encephalomyelitis

Learn more

• Colin McEvedy (obituary)

myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E.) - A disease often marked by neurological symptoms, but fatigue is sometimes a symptom as well. Some diagnostic criteria distinguish it from chronic fatigue syndrome, while other diagnostic criteria consider it to be a synonym for chronic fatigue syndrome. A defining characteristic of ME is post-exertional malaise (PEM), or post-exertional neuroimmune exhaustion (PENE), which is a notable exacerbation of symptoms brought on by small exertions. PEM can last for days or weeks. Symptoms can include cognitive impairments, muscle pain (myalgia), trouble remaining upright (orthostatic intolerance), sleep abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal impairments, among others. An estimated 25% of those suffering from ME are housebound or bedbound. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies ME as a neurological disease.

BMJ The BMJ (previously the British Medical Journal) is a weekly peer-reviewed medical journal.

BMJ The BMJ (previously the British Medical Journal) is a weekly peer-reviewed medical journal.