Richard Asher

Richard Asher

Richard Asher (1912 - 1969) British physician, best known for his succinct and refreshingly provoking articles on various medical subjects. He famously said that many clinical notions were accepted because they were comforting rather than because there is any evidence to support them. He described and named the Manchausen syndrome and his article on myxedematous madness bought into light the influence of the thyroid on brain function to a large number of physicians. He is also remembered for arguing that Pel-Ebstien fever is an example of a condition that exists only because it has a name. His anothologies on medical writing, particularly Talking Sense, are still described as one of the finest examples of medical writing. Asher suffered from depression in later life and reportedly died from suicide.