Adam Douglas

British historian Adam Douglas covers all aspects of the werewolf mystery in his book The Beast Within, from which the following essay is taken. In this rather lengthy piece, Douglas details the case studies of several individuals diagnosed with lycanthropy, or wolf madness. Although evidence describing werewolves and wolflike behaviors literally spans centuries, it has only been in the last twenty years that scientists and psychologists have gathered enough evidence to name lycanthropy as a viable clinical diagnosis for those suffering from this type of mental disorder. Still, Douglas points out, there are difficulties. Researchers have been unable to strictly define symptoms and behaviors that apply across the board to all patients suffering from the disorder. In clinical studies, there are individuals who possess some but not all of the defining characteristics. Those whose...