The first neurology book written in English (1650) by Robert Pemell. De Morbis Capitis
A. Pestronk
Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205.
In 1650 Robert Pemell, an English country physician, published De Morbis
Capitis; or, Of the Chief Internal Diseases of the Head, the first
neurology book written in English. Two factors are probably responsible for
the appearance of this book. It was written during the 17th century, a
period when the number of medical books published in English increased
six-fold. In addition, there was a need for texts in English. Most poor
people could not afford a physician's care and were ministered to by laymen
who could not read Latin. The text of De Morbis Capitis was based on the
works of contemporary and ancient authors. It contains chapters on modern
syndromes, eg, headache, paralysis, epilepsy, and vertigo, as well as
disorders of the time, eg, incubus and phrenitide. Each chapter first
describes the disease and its differential diagnosis and then provides
remedies, including herbals and bleeding. Overall, the treatment of brain
diseases, as outlined in De Morbis Capitis, is probably a description of a
high standard of neurologic practice in the 17th century English
countryside.