Editing Bulimia nervosa (section)

===Before the 20th century===
Although diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa did not appear until 1979, evidence suggests that binging and purging were popular in certain ancient cultures. The first documented account of behavior resembling bulimia nervosa was recorded in [[Anabasis (Xenophon)|Xenophon's Anabasis]] around 370 B.C, in which Greek soldiers purged themselves in the mountains of [[Asia Minor]]. It is unclear whether this purging was preceded by binging.<ref name="Reference 1">Giannini, A. J. (1993). "A history of bulimia". In ''The Eating disorders'' (pp. 18–21). Springer New York.</ref> In ancient Egypt, physicians recommended purging once a month for three days to preserve health.<ref name= "Reference 2">Russell, G. (1997). ''The history of bulimia nervosa''. D. Garner & P. Garfinkel (Eds.), Handbook of Treatment for Eating Disorders (2nd ed., pp. 11–24). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.</ref> This practice stemmed from the belief that human diseases were caused by the food itself. In ancient Rome, elite society members would vomit to "make room" in their stomachs for more food at all-day banquets.<ref name="Reference 2" /> Emperors [[Claudius]] and [[Vitellius]] both were gluttonous and obese, and they often resorted to habitual purging.<ref name="Reference 2" />

Historical records also suggest that some saints who developed [[Anorexia nervosa|anorexia]] (as a result of a life of asceticism) may also have displayed bulimic behaviors.<ref name="Reference 2"/> [[Magdalena de Pazzi|Saint Mary Magdalen de Pazzi]] (1566–1607) and [[Veronica Giuliani|Saint Veronica Giuliani]] (1660–1727) were both observed binge eating—giving in, as they believed, to the temptations of the devil.<ref name="Reference 2"/> [[Catherine of Siena|Saint Catherine of Siena]] (1347–1380) is known to have supplemented her strict abstinence from food by purging as reparation for her sins. Catherine died from starvation at age thirty-three.<ref name="Reference 2" />

While the psychological disorder "bulimia nervosa" is relatively new, the word "bulimia", signifying overeating, has been present for centuries.<ref name="Reference 2"/> The Babylon [[Talmud]] referenced practices of "bulimia", yet scholars believe that this simply referred to overeating without the purging or the psychological implications bulimia nervosa.<ref name="Reference 2" /> In fact, a search for evidence of bulimia nervosa from the 17th to late 19th century revealed that only a quarter of the overeating cases they examined actually vomited after the binges. There was no evidence of deliberate vomiting or an attempt to control weight.<ref name="Reference 2" />