Cancer, Influenza, and Bipolar Disorder: What’s In A Name?

Have you ever wondered how certain health conditions got their names?   

After doing an unsystematic or informal keyword search, I was surprised to find that the names used to identify some health conditions are not as scientific as others.  Here I will discuss my informal findings on the origins of the names of three health conditions that we have discussed in class: cancer, influenza, and bipolar disorder.

Even though cancer has been around for centuries, it has not always been referred to as “cancer” (American Cancer Society (ACS), 2014).  In fact, there are evidences of cancer dating back to 3000 BC (ACS, 2014).  These evidences have been discovered in fossilized mummies and in the Edwin Smith Papyrus (ancient Egyptian textbook).  Despite this, cancer did not get its name until around 460-370 BC (ACS, 2014). During this time, the word cancer was coined by Greek physician Hippocrates, who is also known as the “Father of Medicine” (ACS, 2014).  The tumors caused by the disease were characterized as having a crab-like shape.  This gave rise to the name “cancer”.  In Greek, the term cancer actually means crab.  Today, I think the term “cancer” evokes fear.

Next, I explored the term “influenza”.  I was pretty sure that this term would have scientific origins.  My assumption was incorrect.  Interestingly, the term “influenza” is based on an Italian folk word associated with cold and flu like symptoms (Nieman Foundation, 2014).  Influenza is not the only name that has been used to refer to the flu.  Different regions have used a variety of terms to describe the flu, including: epidemic catarrh, the sweating sickness, grippe, the jolly rant, the new acquaintance, and the knock-me-down fever (Nieman Foundation, 2014).  These names seem to reference people’s experiences rather than the science behind the condition.

 Finally, the health issue known as bipolar disorder was first called folie á double forme or dual-form insanity and folie circulaire or circular insanity by Jules Bailarger and Jean-Pierre Falret (Burton, 2012).  Later, a German psychiatrist named Emil Kraepelin coined the term “manic-depressive psychosis” (Burton, 2012).  The term bipolar disorder was later adopted because it was perceived as being less stigmatizing.  However some still prefer the term “manic-depressive” because they feel it more accurately describes the condition (Burton, 2012).  

I think it is interesting to explore how these health conditions received their names.  I also think it is interesting that some health terms seem to be universal across languages and cultures. 

Do you think the name of a condition matters?  Do you think the name of a condition has an influence on the way individuals experience it? Also, can you think of any common conditions that are referred to using different terms in different cultures?  I think a study on how specific health conditions are known globally could offer some insights into not only the history of these conditions, but also how they are experienced, viewed, and understood across cultures.  So is a name just a name or does it tell us more than how to refer to a health condition?

Works Cited

American Cancer Society. (2014, 6 12). The history of cancer. Retrieved Dec 4, 2014, from American Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/002048-pdf.pdf

Burton, N. (2012, 6 21). Understanding self-deception, self-sabotage, and more . Retrieved Dec 4, 2014, from Hide and Seek: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hide-and-seek/201206/short-history-bipolar-disorder

Nieman Foundation. (n.d.). Covering pandemic flu. Retrieved Dec 4, 2014, from Nieman Foundation: http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/pod-assets/microsites/NiemanGuideToCoveringPandemicFlu/AnIntroduction/InfluenzaAtAGlance.aspx.html