They all are — or were — hypochondriacs. But they're not alone.
Due to our increased access to medical information, we are
becoming a nation of hypochondriacs, said Catherine Belling,
author of the new book, "A Condition of Doubt: The Meanings of
Hypochondria." Belling's interest in hypochondria stems from the
"constant tension," she said, "between the doctor who says he
knows your body and the patient who says, 'I know it better.'" A
native of South Africa, Belling lives in Chicago, where she
spends her spare time reading medical thrillers. To learn more
about hypochondriacs, the Tribune caught up with Belling at
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where she
is an assistant professor of medical humanities and bioethics.
Q: What's the origin of the word "hypochondria"? A: Until the
early 18th century, it meant a physical disease caused by
imbalances in the region that was below your rib cage. In his
1621 "Anatomy of Melancholy," Robert Burton blames it for
everything from "too much spittle" t