Hostname: page-component-7dd5485656-c8zdz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-10-31T23:21:17.624Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Latah Reaction: Its Pathodynamics and Nosological Position

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2018

P. M. Yap
P. M. Yap*
Affiliation:
Mental Hospital, Hong Kong, University of Hong Kong
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Few mental diseases have attracted the attention of medical men working in outlandish parts of the world more than Latah. This is due, not only to its intrinsic interest, showing as it regularly does the unusual symptoms of echolalia, echopraxia, and automatic obedience, but also to its remarkable geographical distribution. This illness was described by travellers to the Malay Archipelago in the latter part of the nineteenth century, but very similar reactions were later found to exist in other lands, known to the native peoples by other names. The term “Latah,” however, is the best known, and as the common features between these various reactions became apparent, it has been used as an inclusive name for them all. It is to-day employed with much the same connotation in the French, Dutch, Italian, and English literature, but the discussion of its nature betrays inadequate understanding, attempts at its nosological classification remain unsatisfactory, and speculations as to its aetology continue to be somewhat fanciful.

Information

Type
Part I.—Original Articles
Information
Journal of Mental Science , Volume 98 , Issue 413 , October 1952 , pp. 515 - 564
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1952 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

XIV. Bibliography

Abraham, J. J. (1912), Brit. Med. J., i, 438.Google Scholar
Idem (1936), The Surgeon's Log. London, 18th ed.Google Scholar
Alexander, F. (1936), Medical Value of Psychanalysis. New York.Google Scholar
Allport, G. W. (1949), Personality : A Psychological Interpretation. London.Google Scholar
Andrianjafy, M.∗ (1902), Le Ramenajana á Madagascar. Thése de Montpellier. Google Scholar
Ascher, E. (1948) Amer. J. Psychiat., 105, 267.Google Scholar
Aubin, H. (1939), Ann. méd.-psychol., 97, i, 181.Google Scholar
Bagenoff, J.∗ (1911), Arch. Neurol. Bucarest., 2, 11.Google Scholar
Ballard, E. F. (1912), Brit. Med. J., i, 652.Google Scholar
Bastian, A.∗ (1867), Reisen in Siam im Jahre 1863. Jena.Google Scholar
Beard, G. M. (1880), J. Nerv. Ment. Dis., 7, 487.Google Scholar
Berfeld, S. (1928), Imago, 14, 76.Google Scholar
Bernheim, H.∗ (1913), L'Hystérie. Paris.Google Scholar
Binswanger, O.∗ (1920), Schweiz. med. Wschr., 1, 713.Google Scholar
Bleuler, E. (1936), Text-book of Psychiatry. New York. (Trans. from the 4th German edition, 1923, by Brill.)Google Scholar
Bonhoeffer, K.∗ (1911), Allg. Z. Psychiat., 68, 371.Google Scholar
Brero, P. C. J. van (1895), Allg. Z. Psychiat., 51, 939.Google Scholar
Brill, A. A. (1913), J. Nerv. Ment. Dis., 40, 514.Google Scholar
Bumke, O.∗ (1918), Berl. Klin. Wschr., 55, 1185.Google Scholar
Burg, P. van der∗ (1897), De Geneesheer in Indië. Amsterdam.Google Scholar
Cameron, D. E. (1951). Amer. J. Psychiat., 107, 701.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carney, L., and Hunt, W. A. (1939), The Startle Pattern. New York.Google Scholar
Castellani, A., and Chalmers, A. J. (1919), Manual of Tropical Medicine. London.Google Scholar
Christian, H. A. (1949), Osier's Principles and Practice of Medicine. New York, 15th ed.Google Scholar
Clifford, H. (1897), In Court and Kampong. London.Google Scholar
Codet, H. (1927), Prog. Med., 42, 241.Google Scholar
Cooper, J. H. (1934), J. Abnorm. Social Psychol., 29, 10.Google Scholar
Creak, M., and Guttmann, E. (1935). J. Ment. Sci., 81, 834.Google Scholar
Czaplicka, M. A. (1914), Aboriginal Siberia. Oxford.Google Scholar
Diethelm, O. (1933), Amer. J. Psychiat., 13, 1295.Google Scholar
Dunbar, F. (1946), Emotions and Bodily Changes. New York, 3rd ed.Google Scholar
Ellis, , Gilmore, W. (1897), J. Ment. Sci., 43, 32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fabing, C. H. D. (1946), Arch. Neurol. Psychiat., 55, 353.Google Scholar
Fenichel, O. (1934), Outline of Clinical Psychoanalysis. New York.Google Scholar
Ferenczi, S. (1916), Contributions to Psychoanalysis. London.Google Scholar
Fitzgerald, R. D. (1923), Trans. Far East. Ass. Trop. Med., 148.Google Scholar
Fletcher, W. D. (1908), Lancet, ii, 254.Google Scholar
Idem (1938), Brit. Encyc. Med. Pract. London, vol. 7, 640.Google Scholar
Forbes, H. O.∗ (1885), A Naturalist's Wanderings in the Eastern Archipelago. London.Google Scholar
Freud, S. (1922), Beyond the Pleasure Principle. London.Google Scholar
Idem (1933). New Intro. Lectures on Psychoanalysis. New York.Google Scholar
Idem , Ferenczi, S., and Abraham, K. (1921), Psychoanalysis and the War Neuroses. London.Google Scholar
Galloway, D. J. (1922), J. Straits Br. Asiat. Soc., No. 85, 140.Google Scholar
Gaupp, R.∗ (1911), Z. ges. Neurol. Psychiat., 5, 457.Google Scholar
Gerrard, P. N. (1904), Dublin J. Med. Sci., 118, 13.Google Scholar
Gilliespie, R. D. (1945). Brit. Med. J., i, 653.Google Scholar
Gilmour, A.∗ (1902), Scot. Med. Surg. J., 10, 18.Google Scholar
Gimlette, J. D. (1897), Brit. Med. J., ii, 455.Google Scholar
Idem and Thomson, H. W. (1939), A Dictionary of Malay Medicine. London.Google Scholar
Goldstein, K.∗ (1917), Ergebn., Neurol. Psych., 2, 349.Google Scholar
Idem∗ (1942), Bull. Forest Sanatorium, 1.Google Scholar
Idem (1947), Trans. Amer. Neurol. Ass., 72, 35.Google Scholar
Gorer, G. (1950) Science News, No. 18, 105.Google Scholar
Guthrie, E. R. (1938), The Psychology of Human Conflict. New York.Google Scholar
Hallowel, A. I. (1934), J’ Abnorm. Social Psychol., 29, 1.Google Scholar
Hammond, W. A. (1884), Brit. Med. J., ii, 759.Google Scholar
Hartenberg, P.∗ (1910), V hystérie et les hystériques. Paris.Google Scholar
Henderson, D. K., and Gillespie, R. D. (1944), Text-book of Psychiatry. London, 6th ed.Google Scholar
Hirsch, A. (1886) Handbook of Geographical and Historical Pathology. London. (Trans. from the second German ed. by Creighton, .)Google Scholar
Holloway, M. (1951), Heavens on Earth. London.Google Scholar
Howard, R. (1910), J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 13, 269.Google Scholar
Huddleson, J. H. (1932), Accidents, Neuroses, Compensation. London.Google Scholar
Hull, C. L. (1933), Hypnosis and Suggestibility. New York.Google Scholar
Hunt, J. McV. (1944), Personality and the Behaviour Disorders. New York.Google Scholar
Janet, P.∗ (1892), Etat Mental des Hystériques. Paris.Google Scholar
Jaspers, K. (1923), Allgemeine Psychopathologie. Berlin, 3rd ed. (French trans. by Kastler et Mendousse, , 1928, Paris.)Google Scholar
Kardiner, A. (1941), The Traumatic Neuroses of War. Washington. Psychosom. Dis. Monog. II-III.Google Scholar
Kayssi, A. J. (1948), Brit. Med. J., i, 131.Google Scholar
Kleist, K.∗ (1934), Kriegsverletzungen des Gehirns. Leipzig.Google Scholar
Kloss, , Boden, (1923), J. Malaya Br. R. Asiat. Soc., 1, 254.Google Scholar
Kraepelin, E. (1909) Lehrbuch der Psychiatrie. Leipzig, 8th ed., vol. 1.Google Scholar
Idem (1913), Lectures on Clinical Psychiatry. London, 3rd. ed. (Trans. from the second German ed. by Johnstone, .)Google Scholar
Kretschmer, E.∗ (1917), Z. ges. Neurol. Psychiat., 37, 64.Google Scholar
Idem∗ (1918), Der Sensitive Beziehungswahn. Berlin.Google Scholar
Idem (1926), Hysteria. New York. (Trans, from the original German ed., 1923, by Boltz).Google Scholar
Idem (1937), Brit. Med. J., ii, 574.Google Scholar
Lewin, K. (1926), Psychol. Forschung., 7, 294.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lewis, A. (1946), Price's Text-book of the Practice of Medicine. London, 7th ed.Google Scholar
Logan∗, (1849), J. Indian Archipelago, Calcutta, 3, 457.Google Scholar
Loon, F. H. G. van (1927), J. Abnorm. Psychol., 21, 434.Google Scholar
Idem (1928), Brit. J. Med. Psychol., 8, 264.Google Scholar
Malinowski, B.∗ (1941), Sigma Xi Qtrly., 29, Nos. 3, 4.Google Scholar
Manson, P. (1912), System of Medicine, ed. by Allbutt, and Rolleston, , London, 2nd ed., vol. 2.Google Scholar
Manson-Bahr, P. H. (1950) Manson's Tropical Diseases. London, 13th ed.Google Scholar
Mayer, E. E. (1927), Amer. J. Psychiat., 6, 523.Google Scholar
McDougall, W. (1943), Outline of Psychology. London, 9th. ed.Google Scholar
Idem (1946), Outline of Abnormal Psychology. London, 5th ed.Google Scholar
McDowell, R. J. S. (1927), (Editor), The Mind. London.Google Scholar
Meige, H., and Feindel, E. (1907), Tics and their Treatment. London. (Trans. from the French by Kinnier Wilson, .)Google Scholar
Milne-Bramwell, J. (1903), Hypnotism : Its History, Theory and Practice. London.Google Scholar
Mira, E. (1944), Psychiatry in War. London.Google Scholar
Moreira, J. (1924). Handbuch der Tropenkrankheiten, edit. by Mense, Berlin, vol. 4.Google Scholar
Musgrave, W. E., and Sison, A. G. (1910), Philip. J. Sci. B, 5, 1335.Google Scholar
Myers, C. S. (1928), Text-book of Experimental Psychology. Cambridge, 2nd ed., vol. 2 Google Scholar
Natoli, A.∗ (1937), Gior. ital. Clin. Trop., 1, 20.Google Scholar
Neale, R. (1884), Brit. Med. J., i, 39.Google Scholar
Novakovsky, S.∗ (1924), Ecology, 5, 113.Google Scholar
O'Brien, H. A. (1883a), J. Straits Br. Asiat. Soc., No. 11, 143.Google Scholar
Idem (1883b), ibid., No. 12, 282.Google Scholar
O'May, J. (1923) J. Malaya Br. R. Asiat. Soc., 1, 381.Google Scholar
Ormerod, J. A. (1912), System of Medicine, ed. by Allbutt, and Rolleston, . London, 2nd ed., vol. 8.Google Scholar
Oppenheim, H.∗ (1889), Die Traumatischen Neurosen. Berlin.Google Scholar
Osler, W.∗ (1894), On Chorea and Choreiform Affections. London.Google Scholar
Parsons, J. H. (1949), Brain, 72, 302.Google Scholar
Pavlov, I. P. (1927), Conditioned Reflexes. London. (Trans. from the Russian by Anrep.)Google Scholar
Idem (1941), Lectures on Conditioned Reflexes : Conditioned Reflexes and Psychiatry. New York. (Trans. from the Russian by Gantt.)Google Scholar
Penso, G.∗ (1934), Arch. ital. sci. med. col., Tripoli, 15, 364.Google Scholar
Piaget, J. (1932), The Language and Thought of the Child. London.Google Scholar
Pick, A.∗ (1902), Jahrb. Psychiat. Neurol., 21, 282.Google Scholar
Idem∗ (1916), Fortschr. Psychiat., 4, 34.Google Scholar
Price, F. W. (1941), (Editor), Text-book of the Practice of Medicine. London, 6th ed.Google Scholar
Rado, S. (1942), Psychosom. Med., 4, 362.Google Scholar
Repond, A. (1940a), Ann. méd.-psychol., 98, 311.Google Scholar
Idem (19406), Schweiz. Med. Wschr., 70, 148.Google Scholar
Revez, B.∗ (1911), Arch. Schiffs. Tropenhyg., 15, 20.Google Scholar
Ribot, Th. (1915), Diseases of the Will. Chicago.Google Scholar
Rivers, W. H. R. (1920), Instinct and the Unconscious. London.Google Scholar
Sakaki, Y.∗ (1903), Neurologia. Tokyo, vol. 3.Google Scholar
Idem∗ (1906), Mitt. K. Jap. Univ. Tokyo, 1903–5.Google Scholar
Sarnelli, T.∗ (1934), Arch. ital. sci. med. col., Tripoli, 15, 750.Google Scholar
Scheben, L.∗ (1900), Arch. Schiffs. Tropenhyg., 14, 692.Google Scholar
Scheubk, B. (1903), Diseases of Warm Countries. London. (Trans. by Falcke from the German.), 2nd ed., revised.Google Scholar
Schneider, D. E. (1938), J. Nerv. Ment. Dis., 88, 18 and 200.Google Scholar
Schneider, K.∗ (1923), Z. ges. Neurol. Psychiat., 82, 275.Google Scholar
Schrenck, L.∗ (1850), Reise durch die Tundren der Samojeden. St. Petersburg, vol. 1.Google Scholar
Shirokogoroff, M. (1935), The Psychomental Complex of the Tungus. London.Google Scholar
Siekmann, W.∗ (1932), Psychol. Forschung., 16, 34.Google Scholar
Stengel, E. (1936), Z. ges’. Neurol. Psychiat., 154, 778.Google Scholar
Idem (1947), J. Ment. Sci., 93, 598.Google Scholar
Stout, G. F. (1938), A Manual of Psychology. London, 5th ed.Google Scholar
Strecker, E. A., and Appel, K. E. (1945). Psychiatry in Modern Warfare. New York.Google Scholar
Strong, R. P. (1944), Stitt's Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment of Tropical Diseases. Philadelphia, 7th ed.Google Scholar
Sully, J. (1902), An Essay on Laughter. London.Google Scholar
Swettenham, F. (1900), Malay Sketches. London.Google Scholar
Thorne, F. C. (1944), Amer. J. Psychiat., 101, 105.Google Scholar
Tourette, , Gilles de la, (1881), Arch. Neurol., 5, 146.Google Scholar
Idem (1884), ibid., 8, 65.Google Scholar
Idem (1885), ibid., 9, 19.Google Scholar
Uchimura, Y. (1935), Lancet, i, 1272.Google Scholar
Idem , Akimoto, and Ishibashi, (1938), Amer. J. Psychiat., 94, 1467. (Abstract from Psychiat. Neurol. Jap., Jan., 1938.)Google Scholar
Uexkull, J. von (1926), Theoretical Biology. London.Google Scholar
Werner, H. (1940), Comparative Psychology of Mental Development. New York. (Trans. from the German by Garside.)Google Scholar
Wertheim, M. (1912), Z. Psychol., 61, 61.Google Scholar
Wilson, , Kinnier, S. A. (1940), Neurology. London. Ed. by Bruce, .Google Scholar
Winiarcz, W., and Wielawski, J. (1936), Psychoanal. Rev., 23, 181.Google Scholar
Wulfften-Palthe, P. M. van (1936), Text-book of Tropical Medicine. Batavia. Ed. by de Langen, and Lichtenstein, .Google Scholar
Winstedt, R. (1947), The Malays : A Cultural History. Singapore.Google Scholar
Yandell, D. W. (1881), Brain, 4, 339.Google Scholar
Yap, P. M. (1951). J. Ment. Sci., 97, 313.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.