What ADHD used to be called

Rick says…

The term “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” first came into use in 1975.

Before that, starting in the 1950′s, the diagnosis was called “Minimal Brain Dysfunction.”

And before that, starting around the turn of the century it was called “A Defect of Moral Control.”

But if you look farther back, well, I’ve uncovered and discovered some shocking, hard to believe stuff.  I can’t exactly confirm the uh, scientific accuracy of what follows, but I ran it by Sarah Palin and she thought it sounded plausible.
So apparently…

Before the Civil War the Americans called it, “The Heeby Jeebies”.  In Canada is was called, “Cabin Fever.”  In Prussia it was called, “A Wool Allergy.”  In England it was, “Charlotte Bronte Syndrome.”

During the Age of Enlightenment in the 1790′s it was described as, “The Willies.”  The French used the term, “Une Battre de Travail” which translates as “A Whack Job.”  The early Australian settlers, who were mostly convicts, called someone who had ADHD, “One of the lads.”

During the early pioneering days in North America, in the 1600′s, ADHD children were called either “Witches” or “Baptists” depending on the severity.

The Renaissance doctors, who used leeches for everything,  preferred the term, “Possessed by Pixies.”

Before that, in the Middle Ages, ADHD went by a number of names including: “Not From Around Here”, “Buggy Disease”, or the more colloquial, ‘I Cubit Short of a Furlong.”

In the Dark Ages, a person with ADHD would be variously described as, “A Pain In The Arse” or a “Demon.”  In either case, the treatment was being beaten with a large cudgel by a monk or friar. (Which often caused a dramatic worsening of symptoms.)

During the first and second century in Rome a person with symptoms of ADHD would be said to be suffering from, “Nero’s Disorder”.  As would anyone who was an Pyromaniac, prone to excessive drooling, or a Sex Offender.

In the early days of the Roman Republic, the term was “Ain’t Right In The Head.”  Another, more dismissive term used by Romans was, “A bit Greek.”  Whereas the Greeks called an ADDer, “In The Roman Style.”

Going farther back there is some evidence that as early as 500 BC the Etruscans used the term, “BiPolar Disorder.”  Apparently even then there was confusion amongst medical professionals.