LAUSR

a form of hysteria: the pathology explained all the revolutionary excesses whose negative effects were to be corrected by the new republic’ (p. 237). Obviously, here hysteria was a disease affecting both men and women. These deficiencies are highlighted by the overabundance of repetition due to the fact that the book is in great part made up of a collection of articles. Beyond this criticism, it is clear that the subject of On Hysteria remains a fascinating one as it brings to light the difficulty of conceptualising a disease and identifying it with a definite set of symptoms. The many forgotten texts that Arnaud has dug up are a clear indication of the rich bibliography that is waiting to be discovered and studied.