Balzac's 'Pierette'. An early description of chronic subdural hematoma.
In his novel Pierrette, written in 1840, Balzac describes a case of chronic subdural hematoma, including its traumatic origin and surgical treatment. The description was written at a time when subdural hematoma was not seen as a separate clinical entity, and was generally thought to be the result of inflammation.
D002908:Chronic Disease; D006408:Hematoma, Subdural / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D008513:Medicine in Literature