Citation

Berrios GE, Mohanna M. Br. J. Psychiatry 1990; 156: 1-9.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital.

Comment In:

Br J Psychiatry 1990;156:750

Copyright

(Copyright © 1990, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

10.1192/bjp.156.1.1

PMID

2404534

Abstract

One of the targets of Durkheim's criticism, in his masterly book Le Suicide (1897), is the view upheld (according to him) by all 19th-century French alienists that suicide was, in all cases, a form of madness (henceforth, the ‘absolutist’ or ‘psychiatric’ hypothesis). Durkheim's view is important, particularly among sociologists, and lest they, and other readers, are led uncritically to accept his version of 19th-century French psychiatric views on suicide, it would seem important to put the historical record straight. The relevant literature is vast, and only representative writers are included in this paper. It is not the purpose of this paper to deal, in any way, with Durkheim's sociological views. (This is being done by Mohanna & Berrios (1990)).

Language: en