Calenture-missing at sea?

Calenture is a behavioural phenomenon, the predominant symptom being an irresistible impulse of sailors to jump into the sea from their vessels. The original description of this phenomenon was that of ancient Spanish sailors. Psychiatric descriptions of calenture appeared in the 18th and 19th centuries; subsequent psychiatric literature has, however, made no direct reference to calenture. This article describes calenture from a historical and clinical perspective, with discussion of the phenomenon in terms of modern psychological understanding. Some implications are considered, including the possible association with the nautical term 'missing at sea'.