[Monumental books by Jelgersma and Rümke]

Now that we are in the DSM-5 period, interest in the older psychiatric literature seems to be gradually waning.

To provide a brief survey of important books by Jelgersma and Rümke, to show how these authors were influenced by Kraepelin, Bleuler, Jaspers, Lombroso and Pavlov, and thereby demonstrate how the older literature helped to shape the development of psychiatry.

The study is based on a selection of the older psychiatric literature in book form.

It is evident that even today much of the older literature is still influencing current concepts and descriptions of symptoms and the development of concepts such as schizophrenia, and is still guiding psychiatrists on the best moment to begin psychiatric treatment.

The older psychiatric literature should not be forgotten or overlooked. It is an invaluable source of in-depth knowledge about psychiatry.