The philosopher's swoon--the concussion of Michel de Montaigne: a historical vignette.
other · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 22381306.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1016/j.wneu.2011.12.007.
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Abstract
The French philosopher Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (1533-1592) sustained a transient loss of consciousness due to a head injury. Montaigne described his concussion as a "swoon," with astutely illustrative details of the symptoms he experienced, including brief loss of consciousness, with apparent (temporary) confusion, and post-traumatic amnesia. His vivid portrayal of the recovery period lends understanding of the process of conscious awakening after his near-death experience. Thanks to his power of introspection and literary talent we may gain insight into the feelings and perceptions of some patients during their recovery from concussion.
Medical subject headings
- Amnesia, Retrograde
- Amnesia, Retrograde/history
- Brain Concussion
- Brain Concussion/history
- Head Injuries, Closed
- Head Injuries, Closed/history
- History, 16th Century
- History, 18th Century
- Humans
- Medicine in Literature
- Philosophy
- Philosophy/history
- Unconsciousness
- Unconsciousness/history