William Beard

Dr Alfred William Beard or Bill Beard (1930-1991) was a British psychiatrist who studied at both Cambridge and Oxford Universities.

Benign myalgic encephalomyelitis controversy
In 1970, with psychiatrist Colin McEvedy, Bill Beard published an influential study of 15 epidemics of myalgic encephalomyelitis, then known as benign myalgic encephalomyelitis, concluding that the illness was the result of psychosocial phenomena, and caused by either "mass hysteria on the part of patients" or "altered medical perception of the community".

Notable studies

 * 1970, Concept of Benign Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (Full text)

Learn more

 * Obituary: A W Beard - Colin McEvedy
 * Biography: Alfred William Beard - RCPsych