 Title page for The Journal of a Disappointed Man (1919) | |
| Author | W.N.P. Barbellion |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | |
Publication date | March 1919 |
The Journal of a Disappointed Man is the first volume of published journal entries by English naturalist and diarist Bruce Frederick Cummings, writing under the pen name W. N. P. Barbellion.
The Journal of a Disappointed Man was described by its author as "a study in the nude". [1] The book was originally optioned by Collins, who eventually rejected the book because they feared the "lack of morals" shown by Barbellion would damage their reputation. An editor's note at the very end of the book claims Barbellion died on 31 December 1917, but Cummings in fact lived for nearly two more years. [2]
The first edition bore a preface by H.G. Wells, which led some reviewers to believe the journal was a work of fiction by Wells himself; [1] Wells publicly denied this but the true identity of "Barbellion" was not known by the public until after Cummings' death. [1] [3]
After its publication, The Journal of a Disappointed Man became the best known personal account of multiple sclerosis. [4] It was variously regarded "with undisguised contempt, damned as immoral, or acclaimed a work of genius, hailed as a masterpiece." [2] The strong early sales and the admiration received by the book are largely forgotten by the wider reading public today, but the book has been frequently reprinted in paperback and is regarded as a minor classic of English literature. [2] [5] It has been likened to the best work of other writers like Franz Kafka [6] and James Joyce. [7]
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This damage disrupts the ability of parts of the nervous system to transmit signals, resulting in a range of signs and symptoms, including physical, mental, and sometimes psychiatric problems. Specific symptoms can include double vision, vision loss, eye pain, muscle weakness, and loss of sensation or coordination. MS takes several forms, with new symptoms either occurring in isolated attacks or building up over time. In the relapsing forms of MS, between attacks, symptoms may disappear completely, although some permanent neurological problems often remain, especially as the disease advances. In the progressive forms of MS, bodily function slowly deteriorates and disability worsens once symptoms manifest and will steadily continue to do so if the disease is left untreated.
Events from the year 1919 in literature .
Interferon beta-1a is a cytokine in the interferon family used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS). It is produced by mammalian cells, while interferon beta-1b is produced in modified E. coli. Some research indicates that interferon injections may result in an 18–38% reduction in the rate of MS relapses.
Wilhelm Nero Pilate Barbellion was the pen name of Bruce Frederick Cummings, an English diarist who was responsible for The Journal of a Disappointed Man. Ronald Blythe called it "among the most moving diaries ever created".
Jean-Martin Charcot was a French neurologist and professor of anatomical pathology. He worked on groundbreaking work about hypnosis and hysteria, in particular with his hysteria patient Louise Augustine Gleizes. Charcot is known as "the founder of modern neurology", and his name has been associated with at least 15 medical eponyms, including various conditions sometimes referred to as Charcot diseases.
Lhermitte phenomenon, also called the barber chair phenomenon, is an uncomfortable "electrical" sensation that runs down the back and into the limbs. The sensation can feel like it goes up or down the spine. It is painful for some, although others might simply feel strange sensations.
Pseudobulbar affect (PBA), or emotional incontinence, is a type of neurological disorder characterized by uncontrollable episodes of crying or laughing. PBA occurs secondary to a neurologic disorder or brain injury. Patients may find themselves crying uncontrollably at something that is only slightly sad, being unable to stop themselves for several minutes. Episodes may also be mood-incongruent: a patient may laugh uncontrollably when angry or frustrated, for example. Sometimes, the episodes may switch between emotional states, resulting in the patient crying uncontrollably before dissolving into fits of laughter.
A functional symptom is a medical symptom with no known physical cause. In other words, there is no structural or pathologically defined disease to explain the symptom. The use of the term 'functional symptom' does not assume psychogenesis, only that the body is not functioning as expected. Functional symptoms are increasingly viewed within a framework in which 'biological, psychological, interpersonal and healthcare factors' should all be considered to be relevant for determining the aetiology and treatment plans.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). Several therapies for it exist, although there is no known cure.
Inflammatory demyelinating diseases (IDDs), sometimes called Idiopathic (IIDDs) due to the unknown etiology of some of them, are a heterogenous group of demyelinating diseases - conditions that cause damage to myelin, the protective sheath of nerve fibers - that occur against the background of an acute or chronic inflammatory process. IDDs share characteristics with and are often grouped together under Multiple Sclerosis. They are sometimes considered different diseases from Multiple Sclerosis, but considered by others to form a spectrum differing only in terms of chronicity, severity, and clinical course.
The history of tuberous sclerosis (TSC) research spans less than 200 years. TSC is a rare, multi-system genetic disease that can cause benign tumours to grow on the brain or other vital organs such as the kidneys, heart, eyes, lungs, and skin. A combination of symptoms may include seizures, developmental delay, behavioural problems and skin abnormalities, as well as lung and kidney disease. TSC is caused by mutations on either of two genes, TSC1 and TSC2, which encode for the proteins hamartin and tuberin respectively. These proteins act as tumour growth suppressors and regulate cell proliferation and differentiation. Originally regarded as a rare pathological curiosity, it is now an important focus of research into tumour formation and suppression.
Aaron E. Miller is an American neurologist, the first Chairman of the Multiple Sclerosis section of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and recognized as a multiple sclerosis clinician.
Fred D. Lublin is an American neurologist and an authority on the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Along with colleagues at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, his work redefined the clinical course definitions of MS.
James Walker Dawson was a Scottish pathologist remembered for his work on multiple sclerosis including the description of the eponymous Dawson's fingers.
Julius Althaus was a German-English physician. He conducted early electrical treatment of patients at King's College Hospital and he was mainly instrumental in creating the Maida Vale Hospital for Nervous Diseases.
John Francis Kurtzke was a neuroepidemiologist and Professor of Neurology at Georgetown University who is best known for his creation of the Expanded Disability Status Scale and for his research on multiple sclerosis (MS). After graduating from Cornell University Medical College in 1952, Dr. Kurtzke started his career in the field of Neurology as Chief of the Neurology Service at the Veteran's Affairs (VA) Medical Centers in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, from 1956 to 1963, and then in Washington, DC, from 1963 to 1995, where he became Professor of Neurology at Georgetown University. At the time of his death, he held the title of Professor Emeritus at Georgetown University.
Thomas John "Jock" Murray is a Canadian neurologist, medical historian and author.
Radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) is a clinical situation in which a person has white matter lesions suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS), as shown on an MRI scan that was done for reasons unrelated to MS symptoms. The nerve lesions in these people show dissemination in space with an otherwise normal neurological examination and without historical accounts of typical MS symptoms.
Alexander Haig was a Scottish physician, dietitian and vegetarianism activist. He was best known for pioneering the uric-acid free diet.
The Barbellion Prize is a British literary award "dedicated to the furtherance of ill and disabled voices in writing". It is awarded annually to a writer, in any genre, who has a chronic illness or is living with a disability. The prize was founded in 2020 by Jake Goldsmith, who has cystic fibrosis and whose memoir Neither Weak nor Obtuse was published in 2022 by Sagging Meniscus Books (ISBN 978-1952386398). It is named after the pseudonymous W. N. P. Barbellion, the author of The Journal of a Disappointed Man, who had multiple sclerosis and died at the age of 30. In 2023, Goldsmith announced that the prize "will be put on an indefinite hiatus " and the 2023 prize would not be awarded, but that "We may be able to continue in 2024 under better circumstances".