Who coined the term Munchausen's syndrome?
Ans. B. Richard AsherMunchausen's syndrome is a colorful term coined by Richard Asher in 1951 in his famous article in The Lancet. Patients with Munchausen's syndrome constantly seek medical care and hospitalization and often assume grandiose, false identities, sometimes claiming to be royalty, relatives of celebrities, or figures in important historical events. It is also known as chronic factitious disorder with predominately physical signs and symptoms. The two terms are used interchangeably.The Baron Karl Friedrich Hieronymus von Munchausen (1720-1797) was a nobleman who served in the Russian army in the war against the Turks. After retirement, he entertained friends with embellished stories of his war adventures. The syndrome was named after him because of the dramatic nature of the false histories and symptoms and the travel from hospital to hospital that are characteristic of people with the syndrome.
Jean-Marie Charcot
Richard Asher
Baron von Munchausen
Emil Kraepelin
Miscellaneous