It is quite remarkable that Dame AC made use of Munchausen's Syndrome so effectively even before it had become part of common medical lexicon. (Wiki note: despite empirical evidence that docs were aware of, this condition itself was largely unnamed until 1951). And the subtlety of her violence makes it even starker, giving us the template for the most villainous villains whose infamy lies in their ability to manipulate instead of ranting and screaming.
I hadn't thought of Munchausen's Syndrome in this context even when writing about it! I am wondering if, in her capacity as a nurse, she did come cross patients presenting this. Although, much of her nursing was done during the first world war and wherever she has written about her experiences, she refers to mostly wounded soldiers and airforce men.
In multiple stories, she describes these hypochondriacs as having a keen interest in doctors and medical attention and ever willing to try new diagnostic methods and treatments. But she's also used it to good effect in her mysteries. In one story, the person assumed to be a hypochondriac did actually suffer from an actual illness. In another, a person plays this fake-invalid role to give themselves an alibi for a crime.
It is quite remarkable that Dame AC made use of Munchausen's Syndrome so effectively even before it had become part of common medical lexicon. (Wiki note: despite empirical evidence that docs were aware of, this condition itself was largely unnamed until 1951). And the subtlety of her violence makes it even starker, giving us the template for the most villainous villains whose infamy lies in their ability to manipulate instead of ranting and screaming.
Good read, this!
I hadn't thought of Munchausen's Syndrome in this context even when writing about it! I am wondering if, in her capacity as a nurse, she did come cross patients presenting this. Although, much of her nursing was done during the first world war and wherever she has written about her experiences, she refers to mostly wounded soldiers and airforce men.
In multiple stories, she describes these hypochondriacs as having a keen interest in doctors and medical attention and ever willing to try new diagnostic methods and treatments. But she's also used it to good effect in her mysteries. In one story, the person assumed to be a hypochondriac did actually suffer from an actual illness. In another, a person plays this fake-invalid role to give themselves an alibi for a crime.