National Archive files on ME and CFS

[cfsStevew]

Has there been a thread/discussion on the secret files at Kew?

I am just going through them having been posted by this blogger...

https://valerieeliotsmith.wordpress...-the-importance-of-fair-and-accurate-records/

Makes quite interesting reading. Reading about Peter White and Wessely fighting for CFS and describing the Royal Free Outbreak as a 'mass conversion hysteria' and that it is 'certain' they 'do not have encephalomyelitis'....(not sure what evidence this is based upon...)

 

[Aurator]

Has there been a thread/discussion on the secret files at Kew?

I don't know, but threads will be merged if necessary.
Many thanks for posting this! If Valerie Eliot Smith's is the only version of the Kew files available online she has done us a great service.
Salient sentences my hitherto cursory reading has thrown up are:
p.7: "Careful studies...have shown unequivocally that the fatigue these patients experience is SUBJECTIVE." (writer's capitals, not mine)
p.8: "Clinical management MUST (writer's capitals) include identification of the underlying depression and persuasion of the patient to accept this explanation...Graded exercise does and will help."
I intend to read it all.

 

[cfsStevew]

yes it would be great to have an analysis of this document...Ill try to go through it also...