Melvin Ramsay

Doctor A. Melvin Ramsay was consultant physician in Infectious Diseases at the Royal Free Hospital in London, United Kingdom, where an outbreak of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) occurred in 1955. He is considered the foremost expert on the outbreak and later examined outbreaks which occurred in other cities and countries. In 1985, Dr. Ramsey published a case definition of the illness called the Ramsay definition. Throughout his life, he was committed to public and professional education about the illness and to dispelling misconceptions that the illness was of psychological origin.

Books

 * 1989 - Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Baffling Syndrome with a Tragic Aftermath
 * 1986 - Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Postviral Fatigue States: The Saga of Royal Free Disease, (originally titled Postviral Fatigue Syndrome: The Saga of Royal Free Disease

Journal publications

 * 1978, 'Epidemic neuromyasthenia' 1955-1978 Full Text)
 * 1977, Letter to the editor - Icelandic disease (benign myalgic encephalomyelitis or Royal Free disease) (Full Text) by Melvin Ramsay, Elizabeth Dowsett, J V Dadswell, W H Lyle, and J G Parish, in The BMJ
 * 1970, Correspondence - Epidemic malaise by N. D. Compston, H. E. Dimsdale, Melvin Ramsay, and A. T. Richardson, in The BMJ) [(Full Text)
 * 1965, Correspondence - Eclipse of hysteria by Dr Betty Scott and Melvin Ramsay, in The BMJ {(Full Text)
 * 1965, Correspondence - Hysteria and "Royal Free Disease" by Melvin Ramsay, in The BMJ (Full Text)

ME Association
He helped create the ME Association in 1978.

Online presence

 * PubMed

Learn More

 * Ramsay's Definition for M.E., by National Alliance for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (NAME)