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Rumbles: A Curious History of the Gut
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Rumbles: A Curious History of the Gut

The Secret Story of the Body's Most Fascinating Organ

Elsa Richardson
Pegasus Books, 2024
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7

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  • Eye Opening
  • Eloquent
  • Engaging

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Have you ever wondered how your gut has shaped history? Historian and author Elsa Richardson takes you on a fascinating journey of the digestive system’s surprising influence on medicine, cultures and politics. She explores how people’s understanding of the gut has led to medical advancements, changed cultural norms, and even sparked political movements. Richardson reveals the profound connections between bodily processes and the evolution of social order, health, and power. In doing so, she uncovers the gut’s central role in shaping the way people live, think, and govern.

Summary

People have understood the gut’s influence on mental health for centuries.

For much of history, people regarded the human gut with superstition or suspicion. The Ancient Greeks, for example, used human entrails to foresee a battle’s outcome. In the Middle Ages, many people viewed the gut as a potential source of demonic possession, causing mental and spiritual chaos. During the 18th and 19th centuries, people commonly used the term “blue devils” to describe depression and mental anguish — sometimes attributed to digestive issues. Medical figures such as surgeon James Johnson further popularized this idea in his 1827 Essay on Indigestion. He connected his patients’ mental despondency to toxins building up in their bowels.

However, some individuals had a more positive take on the link between the gut and the mind. Physician George Cheyne experienced a severe decline in health due to overindulgence in food and drink. To treat his bodily aches, Cheyne adopted a vegetable-based diet, which not only improved his physical health but also lifted his spirits, leading him to link diet with mental well-being. In his influential work...

About the Author

Author Elsa Richardson is a lecturer of history at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland.

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