1955

An outbreak of Bornholm's disease at the Royal Free Hospital (affecting 197 nurses, doctors and ancillary staff) brings Dr Melvin Ramsay of the hospital's Department of Infectious Diseases into the field.

1956

Ramsay's close study of chronically affected patients leads him to define a new disease he calls Benign Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. His careful, painstaking medical research into the chronic cases continues for another 14 years.

1957

Dr Andrew Wallis publishes a study into the first recorded case of an epidemic outbreak of chronic encephalopathy following an epidemic of Bornholm's flu in Cumbria in 1955.

1970

Two clinical psychologists, McEvedy & Beard, conduct a review of selected reports of the 1955 Royal Free outbreak, and - without talking to a single patient, and without considering Ramsay's work or talking to him, conclude that the outbreak was nothing more than mass hysteria. Their tabloid-style 'research' is published in the BMJ (McEvedy CP & Beard AW, 'Royal Free Epidemic of 1955: A Reconsideration', BMJ 1970;1:7-11. McEvedy CP & Beard AW, 'Concept of Benign Encephalomyelitis', BMJ 1970;1:11-15) and proves influential amongst medics. The credibility of ME in the medical world has never recovered.

1978

A Symposium organised by journalist and former GP Celia Wookey leads to the Founding of the U.K. ME Association in Essex.

1984

Incline Village outbreak at Lake Tahoe, USA, brings (inter alia) Dr Paul Cheney into the field. The disease is first dubbed 'Raggedy Ann Syndrome', but American medics soon start work on a sillier name.

1986

A sufferer called Sue Finlay from Lanark loses patience with the ME Association, which has now quietly existed for 11 years without anyone noticing. She gets her MP, Jimmy Hood, to support the cause of recognition for ME, publishes an article on ME in the Observer, and founds The ME Action Campaign.

1987

A psychiatrist by the name of Simon Wessely publishes a paper about ME in the February issue of 'Psychological Medicine'.

Dr D.G. Smith attempts to involve Simon Wessely in the M.E. Association. Melvin Ramsay vetoes the suggestion and shortly afterwards, Dr Smith is replaced as medical advisor by Dr Charles Shepherd. Shepherd's first act is to demand withdrawal of the Association's 'Helpful Doctors' list, as its distribution is "unethical".

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is recognised by Act of Parliament, thanks to a private member's bill introduced by Jimmy Hood. The DHSS is required to treat sufferers decently by law. Sufferers with a formal diagnosis, that is.

1988

Melvin Ramsay publishes "Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Postviral Fatigue States", summarising the conclusions of 33 years of work.

The judges at the US Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta announce the results of their silly name competition. And the winner is... 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome'.

This name and the definition of it (Holmes et al, 1988) was created by a group of 16 well-meaning physicians who, with three exceptions, had never routinely seen or examined CFS patients, and have never again published on the subject. The three physicians with experience of M.E. withdrew from the initial CDC definition committee.

1989

Death of Dr Melvin Ramsay.

1991

Both British charities recognise and start using the term CFS.

Sharpe et al (1991) broaden the definition of CFS way beyond ME with their "Oxford Criteria".

1992 to the present

The recent history of ME and activism was until recently available at one of Russ Bassett's websites. Unfortunately, Russ has now taken his sites down, and has done a Lord Lucan on us. I shall therefore try to complete this potted history soon.