"El caso Ellen West": la ética médica en los albores de la anorexia nerviosa / "The case of Ellen West": medical ethics on the threshold of anorexia nervosa

El caso Ellen West se publicó antes que se describiera la anorexia nerviosa como entidad nosológica y previo al nacimiento de la bioética. El presente estudio busca comprender las conductas morales que Binswanger adoptó de acuerdo a la ética médica tradicional. Tres dimensiones resaltan: formación de un pacto firme basado en la confianza, juicios prudentes y las virtudes entendidas como excelencias personales determinantes del diálogo psicoterapéutico. Además, él respetó el secreto profesional, la comunicación de terapias alternativas y construyó un diálogo fundamentado en decir y descubrir la verdad. El suicidio final fue previsto por él, y lo acató como la elección de un proyecto de existencia aunque fracasado.

The case of Ellen West was published before anorexia nervosa was conceived as a clinical entity and previous to the birth of bioethics. This study seeks to understand the moral issues that Binswanger followed according to traditional medical ethics. Three dimensions are outstanding: formation of a firm pact based on trust, prudent judgments and virtues as personal excellences, which shaped the psychotherapeutic dialogue. In addition, he respected the professional secrecy, communication of alternative therapies and a dialogue based on saying and uncovering the truth. The final suicide was foreseen but he respected it as a choice of a project of existence although failed.

O caso Ellen West de Binswanger: fenomenologia clínica de uma existência inautêntica

Este artigo tem como objetivo a discussão de um caso clínico clássico da Fenomenologia - o de Ellen West - aqui descrito e analisado segundo os pressupostos básicos da teoria de Ludwig Binswanger aplicada à psicopatologia. Analisam-se os conceitos de Umwelt, Mitwelt e Eigenwelt, bem como de corporeidade e temporalidade enquanto constitutivos de uma existência inautêntica. Finalmente, busca-se compreender tais conceitos no contexto do estudo de caso de Ellen West.

This article aims to discuss a classic clinical case of Phenomenology - Ellen West's - which is here described and analyzed using Binswanger's theoretical principles applied to psychopathology. The concepts of Umwelt, Mitwelt and Eigenwelt are analyzed, as well as corporality and temporality as constitutive of an inauthentic existence. Finally, it seeks to understand these concepts in the context of Elle West's case.