Reil, was an 18th-century medical multihyphenate: physician-anatomist-physiologist. He was also the first true psychiatrist by virtue of coining the term “psychiatry” (or “psychiatrie” in German). His contributions to anatomy include the first description of the arcuate fasciculus in 1809 and the identification of anatomical features such as Reil’s finger (later known as Raynaud syndrome) and the Islands of Reil in the cerebral cortex.
Reil’s philosophical perspective on mental illness evolved in the context of the Romantic movement, blending scientific inquiry with a deeper appreciation of life’s poetic and tragic aspects. In 1803, Reil published Rhapsodieen über die Anwendung der psychischen Kurmethode auf Geisteszerrüttungen [Rhapsodies on the Application of Psychological Methods of Cure to the Mentally Disturbed], a seminal work that significantly influenced German psychiatry before Sigmund Freud. Not a one-hit wonder, Reil was also an active editor and orchestrated several medical journals, including two devoted to psychiatry.
Rhapsodieen is characterized by its rich metaphors and ironic tone, which stood apart from typical medical treatises of the time. In it, he proposed indirect psychological methods to treat mental illness, emphasizing the role of social conditions and the harmony of the mind’s functions. Reil often proposed ways to shock the system for patients with dissociative-type or catatonic disorders. His hypothesis was that the shock would jolt the patient and bring them back to conscious awareness.
REIL, JOHANN CHRISTIAN (1759-1813). Rhapsodieen über die Anwendung der psychischen Kurmethode auf Geisteszerrüttungen [Rhapsodies on the Application of Psychological Methods of Cure to the Mentally Disturbed]. Printed in Halle: In der Curtschen Buchhandlun, 1818. 23 cm tall.
Born in East Friesland, Reil began his university studies at Göttingen in 1779 but soon transferred to Halle, where he was influenced by the anatomist Philipp Friedrich Meckel and became close friends with Johann Friedrich Goldhagen. After earning his medical degree in 1782, Reil continued his studies in Berlin, where he engaged with the intellectual circles of Marcus Herz and the critical philosophy of Immanuel Kant.
Reil’s career flourished upon his return to Halle in 1787, where he quickly rose to become the director of the clinical institute and chief physician of the city. His medical practice attracted many prominent patients, including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and his innovative ideas began to take shape.
Reil’s theories on mental illness and treatments evolved over time. He wrote several volumes on fevers influenced by Kant and others. This included his theories on the connection between fevers and mental illness. Eventually, he would be swayed by the German romantic movement of the time and his theories became more fanciful, with treatments to match.
First published in 1803, Rhapsodieen is one of the earliest systematic works on psychotherapy. In it, Reil sets forth principles and different techniques of therapy. Although he did not formulate a comprehensive theory of personality, he recognized the necessity of understanding the healthy personality before the pathological personality could be understood. He believed that mental illness is a psychological phenomenon that requires psychological methods of treatment and was convinced of the close relationship between mind and body.
Even though he espoused many enlightened views, including advocating for improving the horrific conditions of patients who resided in asylums, his therapeutic procedures are considered crude by today’s standards.
His work is considered by some to represent the beginnings of modern psychotherapy, although he is often eclipsed by Pinel and his Traité médico-philosophique sur l’aliénation mentale; ou la manie [Medical-philosophical treatise on insanity, or mania], considered a more practical work. Reil and Pinel developed a healthy rivalry that helped inform both of their practices.
Our copy of Rhapsodieen is in decent condition. The cover has marbled paper over thin boards and shows quite a bit of wear and tear. The boards appear to be meant as a temporary cover, so that is not surprising. The paper is in pretty good shape, with mostly minor discolorations throughout. Interestingly, some of the gatherings are “unopened,” with the tops of the pages still connected. Many of the pages also still have deckled edges, giving a rough and ready look.
Contact our curator to view this book at damien-ihrig@uiowa.edu or 319-335-9154.
