Abstract
Belief in the action of the macrocosmus, i.e., celestial bodies, on the microcosmus, i.e., on man, goes back to the dawn of human thinking. More specifically, lunar phases have been considered to act on behaviour and on physiological functions.
This possible relationship has not only been taken for granted for many centuries in ancient medicine but also investigated in a number of modern published works, mainly on the issues of emergency activity; violent behaviour; car accidents; drug overdose; menses and birth; and mood disorders.
Indeed, if the idea that the stars and planets may influence human health and behaviour can be traced so far in the past, it seems that not only the laymen but a high proportion of health professionals continue to hold this credence: recently, in New Orleans a questionnaire sent to 325 people indicated that 140 individuals (43%) held the opinion that lunar phenomena alter personal behaviour. Specifically, it came out that mental health professionals (social workers, clinical psychologists, nurses’ aides) held this belief more strongly than other occupational groups (Vance, 1995).
A short historical outline of some old beliefs and the results of contemporary research on this fascinating, time-honoured field, will be presented.
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Zanchin, G. (2001). Macro and Microcosmus: Moon Influence on the Human Body. In: Barbieri, C., Rampazzi, F. (eds) Earth-Moon Relationships. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0800-6_40
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0800-6_40
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