Lunatic facts for kids
The word lunatic is an old term. It was once used to describe someone with a mental illness or a mental disability. The word comes from the Latin lunaticus. This means 'of the moon' or 'moonstruck'.
In English law, this term was used until around 1930. Then, it was changed to "person of unsound mind". Later, starting in 1959, the law began to use the term "mental illness".
The Moon and Old Beliefs
Long ago, people believed the moon caused certain health problems. The term "lunatic" was first used for conditions like epilepsy and madness. People thought these were linked to the moon's phases.
For example, the King James Version of the Bible mentions "lunatick" in the Gospel of Matthew. This part is thought to refer to epilepsy. By the 300s and 400s, people who studied astrology often used this term. They used it for brain and mental health conditions.
Some old thinkers, like Aristotle and Pliny the Elder, believed the full moon could affect people. They thought the bright moonlight might keep sensitive people awake. Not getting enough sleep was seen as a cause of mental issues. Until at least the 1700s, many people believed the moon affected fevers, rheumatism, and epilepsy.
Related Pages
- Madness
Images for kids
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A postcard from the time of Women's suffrage. It shows a "lunatic" with a moon symbol.
