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The neurologic content of S. Weir Mitchell's fiction

From the G.H. Sergievsky Center (E.D.L., L.A.R.), Department of Neurology (E.D.L.), and the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain (E.D.L.), College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY; and Department of Neurology (S.H.) University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Elan Louis, Unit 198, Neurological Institute, 710 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032; e-mail: EDL2{at}columbia.edu

Background: Silas Weir Mitchell (1829 to 1914), one of the most important neurologists in American Medicine, was known for his seminal work on the phantom limb syndrome, causalgia, and nerve injuries. He was also a prolific writer of novels and short stories. The neurologic content of this fiction has not been studied.

Objective: To assess the extent that references to neurologic topics were present in Mitchell's fiction, whether these neurologic references reflected Mitchell's scientific interests and contributions, and whether his fictional accounts of neurologic topics would precede those in his scientific writings.

Methods: The authors read Silas Weir Mitchell's novels and short stories.

Results: Seventeen (63.0%) of 27 fictional works contained neurologic references. Fifty-five (69.6%) of 79 references were brief (a single word or sentence). In two works, a neurologic theme was central to the plot. Some of the neurologic content was sophisticated (aphasia, brain laterality). Phantom limb syndrome, causalgia, and nerve injuries were not prominent in his fiction. Neurologic consequences of battle injuries were featured in 10 (37.0%) works. With the exception of "The Case of George Dedlow" (i.e., phantom limb syndrome), Mitchell's fictional accounts of neurologic topics followed his presentation of these topics in the scientific literature.

Conclusions: The majority of Mitchell's fictional works contained references to neurologic topics but most contained brief references. The number of references to Mitchell's specific scientific interests (phantom limb syndrome, causalgia) was small, although more generally, references to the neurology of battle injuries occurred more frequently.

Additional material related to this article can be found on the Neurology Web site. Go to www.neurology.org and scroll down the Table of Contents for the February 14 issue to find the title link for this article.

Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Received August 4, 2005. Accepted in final form October 25, 2005.