Richard Morton's second case of anorexia nervosa: Reverend Minister Steele and his son—An historical vignette

Abstract

In 1689, Richard Morton described two cases of anorexia nervosa. The first, Mr. Duke's daughter, died, and nothing else is known about her or her family. The other patient was the son of an iron-willed nonconformist divine, who, in total defiance of Church and State, spent the last 32 years of his life hounded by the authorities, repeatedly arrested and charged, and forced to preach covertly to illicit congregations.