Posted by Greg on April 28, 2000, at 14:27:47
In reply to Melancholia, posted by Ginny on April 27, 2000, at 20:51:48
Ginny,
While melancholia and depression are similar in effect, melancholia is believed to be passed from generation to generation, while depression is not necessarily hereditary.I'm including a passage from a book written in 1621 called "The Anatomy of Melancholy" by Robert Burton.
"That ...inbred cause of Melancholy is our Temperament, in whole or part, which we receive from our parents...it being a hereditary disease; such as the temperament of the father is, such is the son's, and look what disease the father had when he begot him, his son will have after him...And that which is more to be wondered at, it skips in some families the father, and goes to the son, or takes every other, and sometimes every third in a lineal descent, and doth not always produce the same, but some like, and a symbolizing disease..."
Hope this helps.
Greg
> What is melancholia? Is there any difference between melancholia and depression?
poster:Greg
thread:31524
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000420/msgs/31594.html