Matters of the Heart: History, Medicine, and Emotion

241 Pages·2010·2.086 MB·English

by  Fay Bound Alberti

MATTERS OF THE HEART
Frontispiece:‘Heartinhermouth’.
Source: MarionKaplan.
Idrewverynearhim,myHeartinmyMouthforfear.
CharlesdeFieuxMouhy,TheFortunateCountryMaid
(London:C.Hitch,1758),136
MATTERS OF
THE HEART
HISTORY, MEDICINE,
AND EMOTION
FAY BOUND ALBERTI
1
1
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Mattersoftheheart:history,medicine,andemotion/FayBoundAlberti.
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ISBN978–0–19–954097–6(hbk.:alk.paper)1. Heart—Diseases—Social
aspects—History.2. Heart—Anatomy.3. Heart—Symbolicaspects.4. Emotions.
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Acknowledgements
A Wellcome Trust Project Grant made possible the research and
writing of this book. I gratefully acknowledge the Trust’s financial
support,andthediligenceofthegrantsadministrationteam,especially
Tony Woods. I am also grateful to those who have commented on
theideasandthemesexpressedinthisbook.Anenormousintellectual
debtisowedtoMarkJenner,whosupervisedmyMastersandDoctoral
workatYork.Otherintellectualdebtsinclude,attheWellcomeTrust
CentreatUCL,RhodriHayward,ChristopherLawrence,andRoger
Cooter, whose astute criticism was crucial to the development of
this monograph. Hal Cook and Anne Hardy have been generous in
their time and support, as ever. At the University of Lancaster, I
benefited from the expertise of Paolo Palladino and Thomas Dixon,
and at Manchester University, from thatof John Pickstone and Mick
Worboys.
In the medical sphere, George Alberti and Martin Cowie have
offered insightful commentary at various stages, both about medical
practiceandabouttherelationshipbetweenpatientsandpractitioners.
In that which is more commonly accepted as a realm of the imagi-
nation, I am grateful for the existence of Louisa Young’s enchanting
Book of the Heart, and to Louisa for sharing her own enthusiasm on
thesubjectwhenwecollaboratedontheWellcomeTrust’sexhibition
and book on the heart in 2006. James Peto and Emily Jo Sargent at
the Wellcome Trustwere also a pleasure to work with. I am grateful
toOtnielDrorforsharingwithmehisinsightsintotwentieth-century
medicalresearch,andtoAlanChampion,whohasworkedextensively
on the history of Ventnor. I am also appreciative of the support and
assistance of the librarians at the Wellcome Library and the British
Library.
InresearchingMattersoftheHeart,Ihavespentmuchtimethinking
about the relationship between mind and matter, and between the
body,thesoul,andthebrain,intheoryandpractice.Samhaslistened
viii acknowledgements
to and shared in many such conversations, and been a generous and
scrupulous proofreader. He has also offered challenging scrutiny at
many points, especially into the history of pathological bodies. I am
very grateful for his help, and for that of my family and friends more
generally. Paddy, Nikki, Steve, Lesley, and Matt have each sustained
me with babysitting, noodles, or companionship during the times
whenIthoughtthattheheartcouldnot,afterall,‘goon’.
‘Theheart’assymbolicentity,asorganoftheself,isfickle,random,
and apparently uncontrollable. Yet ‘the heart’ as object is circum-
scribed, controllable—even replaceable. This apparent contradiction
still lies at the heart of the organ, and of this book. Its function as
a simile, or as metaphor, remains unrivalled. It is, therefore, to the
rulers of my own heart that this book is dedicated: to my children
Millie and Jacob, whose own heartbeats I have wondered at, fretted
over,andbeengratefulformanymoretimesthanIcanexpress.
Contents
ListofFigures xi
Introduction:TheHeartoftheMatter 1
1. HumourstoHormones:EmotionandtheHeartinHistory 16
2. Hunter’sHeart:PathologicalAnatomyandtheScience of
Disease 41
3. KnowingtheHeart:FromMorbidAnatomytoNew
Technologies 61
4. AnginaPectoris andtheArnoldFamily 90
5. ‘HeartLatham’andNineteenth-CenturyMedicalPractice 103
6. TheHeartofHarrietMartineau 120
7. EmotionsandtheBrain:RethinkingtheMind-Body
Relationship 140
Conclusion:TheMatteroftheHeart 157
Notes 169
IndicativeBibliography 213
Index 223