' pander to the whims and fancies of self-indulg- i ent hysterical women, deceiving their employers and demoralizing their patients, regardless of religion, honor or honesty. Oh ! that I had the pen of a Junius or a Swift, to handle the subject with effect! However, I have done my best— the best can do no more !—and leave the issue in higher hands, in the hope that some one will arise to the occasion who can wield a pen of ire with words that burn, that the bright escutcheon of a noble profession may have the vile bar sinister eradicated from its sur- face, and its bright purity of former days again shine resplendent to the public gaze without reproach. I crave the indulgence of the reading public for faults of style, believing the sub- 8 INTRODUCTION. ject matter is of sufficient novelty, interest and importance, intrinsically, to require neither ornamentation nor embellishment at my hands. I might extend this book to much greater length, for the field is extensive, and the medical profession abounds with illustrative cases, but I aim at brevity and condensation, rather than prolixity and profuseness, for the mere purpose of bookmaking, and in so doing trust I have not gone to the other extreme by sacrificing clearness and perspecuity in the treatment of my subject. PART I. How many of my readers have friends and acquaintances the subjects of hysterical com- plaints, and yet how few possess any real knowledge of this interesting and curious dis- ease—a disease so varied in its commencement, course, and termination; so terrible in its appearance to the uninitiated, yet so insignifi- cant, so far as any real danger to the patient is concerned ; so full of vagaries, pranks, and curiosities, in its history, as to exemplifv, in a marked degree, the adage that " truth is indeed stranger than fiction." A practice of consid- erably over one-third of a century, combined with the fact of belonging to an hysterical family, where from earliest childhood exhibi- tions of the disease, in various forms, were being constantly presented to my notice, natur- ally turned my attention, when I became a student of medicine, to a more careful and exhaustive study of this disease than is gener- ally given to it. The results of the experience thus gained, I now propose to give the public; notasa medical treatise, properly so called, but rather a small volume of light reading, in which 9 10 HYSTERICAL WOMKX. the subject matter is new and fraught with interest instruction, and amusement to the non-medical reader. I doing so, 1 feel I am conferring a benefit upon the public in thus placing the experience of years of study, and observation, at its disposal, in the cases here recounted, and the remarks thereon. As many medical authorities have been consulted in the compilation of this work, and extracts from their writings made use of, I will (instead of encumbering the book with references, which few would take the trouble to examine), to avoid the charge oi plagiarism, freely admit, that I have, in many instances, copied the language of others, when sufficiently expressive, to fulfill the object I have in view, and in one or two instances used the first person for facility of description in recounting cases reported by other physicians, but in such cases have en- deavored to give credit to the author, not wishing to steal another's thunder. Hysteria, is a complaint peculiar to women (for although men are often somewhat simi- larly affected, yet for the purpose of this mono- graph, the disease as affecting the male sex may be ignored). It seldom occurs, except HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 11 during that period of life, in which the uterine functions are in an active condition; or from the age, of thirteen, to forty-five, and when it exists there is frequently found, some derange- ments of those functions. The patients are generally young women, of feeble constitution, or debilitated by improper habits of life, or disease : often pale, though not necessarily so ; have cold hands and feet; subject to chil- blains; eat but little, and do not fancy meat, or the taste is depraved, or capricious; they will devour wax candles, chalk, clay, slate pencils and other trash, and, what is very curious, though they often abstain from animal food for weeks, and months, and appear to take very little nourishment of any kind, yet they do not lose flesh, and waste away, but often continue round, and high complected. A very remarkable condition of the nervous system exists, in this class of women : that almost every organ of the body is liable from trivial causes (or no apparent cause) to take on the form, and appearance of real organic disease, while in reality no such disease exists: the whole symp- toms being a more or less perfect imitation, or "mimic " of the real disease; taxing the skill, and experience of the physician, often to the 12 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. utmost to detect the difference. Curious exam- ples of this state will be found further on. The mental condition of these patients, is also very curious; many of them are so alive, to the pleasures of sympathy, of friends, and relatives, that they will take the most extraordinary means of eliciting it, making statements, mj utterly devoid of foundation that, while deceiv- ing friends, and relatives, they are perfectly transparent to the experienced physician. Many illustrations of this mental peculiarity will be found farther on, sufficiently astounding to make the uninitiated ask in wonder: ''Can such things be?" More especially, as these patients are generally from the upper classes of society, and have been carefully, and often, religiously brought up, many of them being bright, and shining lights of the religious cote- rie to which they belong, of whom it would be considered, almost sacrilege, to doubt their simplest assertion, yet they will He with a facility, coolness, and impressiveness that is utterly astonishing, and I have often watched, almost in bewilderment, such persons, and wondered at the perfect sang fro'ul with which apparently timid, bashful, innocent-look- ing girls, and women, will make, sustain, and Ill'STERICAL WOMEN. 13 reiterate deliberate lying statements, that they know to be lies, and know, too, that I was aware of their falsehood. Erotic ideas are not of infrequent occurrence, and in aggravated cases, are fraught with most unhappy results The hysterical paroxism, is so graphically de- scribed by Dr. Watson, of Middlesex Hospital, London, that I will use his own lancmaore. " It occurs under a great variety of forms, but they may all be reduced to two, for convenience of description. The first, has a general resemblance to an epileptic fit, the trunk, and limbs of 'the patient are agitated, with strong convulsive movements, she struggles violently, like a person contending: she rises into a sitting posture, and then throws herself back again*, forcibly extends, and retracts her limbs, while her body is twisted from side to side, and so powerful are these contortions, that it is often all that three, or four strong persons can do, to restrain a slight girl, and prevent her from injuring herself and others. The head is generally thrown back; and the throat pro- jects. The face is flushed and the eyelids are closed, and tremulous; the nostrils distended, the jaws often firmly shut, but there is no distortion of the countenance; the cheeks are 14 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. at rest unless, as it often happens, the patient is uttering screams, or exclamations. If the hands are left at liberty, she will often strike her breast repeatedly and quickly, or carry her fingers to her throat, as if to remove some oppression there ; or she will sometimes tear her hair, or rend her clothes, or attempt to bite those around her. With all this, her breathing is deep, laboring, and irregular, and the heart palpitates. After a short time, this violent agita- tion is calmed, but the patient lies trembling, and starting at the slightest noise, or gentlest touch; or sometimes she remains motionless during the remissions with a fixed eye, till all at once the convulsive movements are renewed, and this alternation of spasms, and quiet will go on for a spa3e of time that varies considerably in different cases; the whole attack frequently ends in an explosion of tears, sobs, and convul- sive laughter. " In the other of the two forms, the patient experiences a sense of uneasiness in some part of the abdomen, frequently toward the left flank; a ball appears to roll about and rise first to the situation of the stomach, and then the throat. The patient feels a choking sensa- HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 15 tion, the action of swallowing is frequently repeated; the abdomen becomes distended with wind, loud rumblings, and sudden eructa- tions take place. There is much palpitation of the heart. The patient is sad, and sorrowful, and prone to shed tears. After the paroxysm these patients often void a large quantity of pale, limpid urine, looking almost like water, and this is sometimes expelled during the fit." Although this is a good description of the general character of an hysterical fit, yet numerous modifications occur, a description of which is beyond the scope of this work. The close resemblance between, an hysterical attack, as above described, and an epileptic fit, renders it appropriate in this place, to point out the difference, in the two diseases. In the epi- leptic fit, there is entire loss of consciousness; the patient having no knowledge, of what has occurred; while in the hysterical, the loss of consciousness, is seldom complete, and never occurs, at the commencement of the attack. On the contrary, the hysterical patient is able to repeat, everything that has occurred (although for obvious reasons, she may not be inclined, to acknowledge it). This fact, necessitates the 16 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. caution, that we should be careful, what observa- tions we make, in the hearing of the patient, while in the fit, if we do not want, her to know what we think. On the other hand, we may pretend to believe, in her unconsciousness, and speak of certain treatment, as about to be adopted, which would be disagreeable in the extreme, when it is astonishing, how quickly, the attack will subside, without incurring the necessity, for the harsh measures threatened! In the epileptic fit, the features are livid, and distorted, and froth exudes from the mouth, the eyelids half open, and the eyes rolling, the mouth drawn to one side, the teeth grinding, and the complexion livid. While in the hyster- ical, on the contrary, there is no distortion of the features, the face being flushed, and the eyelids closed, and trembling. The hysterical paroxysm, though apparently so overpowering to the patient, is, to a great degree, under the control, of her will; but unfortunately, the generality of those patients, are so alive to the luxury, of receiving expressions of sympathy, and commiseration, that they do not care to exercise, the controlling power of their will, to pYVvent, or cut short the attack, as they mio-ht, and often do, under the influence of threats HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 17 of the application of disagreeable measures, as cases cited below will abundantly show. While it is a fact, that almost every variety, of serious disease may be mimicked, by hysteria, so also hysteria, often becomes the subject of mimicry, by perfectly healthy women, and so common is this state of matters, that even experienced physicians, are imposed upon for a time, and find great difficulty in deciding, what cases are real, and what assumed. In this con- nection it must be remembered, that this disease spreads, by a sort of moral contagion, by which the mere witnessing of the paroxysm, will produce in healthy women, a tendency to mimic the disease. This is being constantly exemplified, in hospital practice, where nothing is so common, as to see upon admission of an hysterical patient, that several other women, in the same ward, who have hitherto shown, no svmptom of the disease, immediately, become similarlv affected. But it is also observed, that this mimicking, or spread by 'moral contagion, occurs more frequently in some wards, than others, and a stern nurse, or an order for the sudden, and lavish, application of cold w'citer, in every case, will keep the exhibition of the dis- 18 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. ease, wonderfully in check! While a sympa- thetic nurse, has an equally wonderful effect, in encouraging the fits: thus showing that the symptoms, are to a certain extent, under the control of the patient, perhaps not wholly will- ful, nor yet certainly unconquerable. Among the vagaries of hysteria, the following are met with, and the specimens here related, although in many instances improbable,to the uninitiated, might be greatly extended, as the records of medicine abound with similar cases. To avoid monotony, however, a few striking examples only, are here reproduced. Pain in the Hea1^.—The patient complains of an excruciating pain, in one particular point of the head, described as being a sensation, like a nail being driven into the part, and is conse- quently called in the medical books, Clavus Hystericus. It is often situated over the eve- brow, and comes on periodically, often at the same hour, and closely imitates the intermit- tent disease, known as Brow Ague, and is in fact a mimic of that disease. Case.—Mrs. M., a married lady, suffered for years from this affection. She described her HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 19 sufferings as intolerable, unbearable, excruciat- ing, agonizing, etc. She was a lady much given to self-indulgence, passing most of her time, loll- ing in a rocking chair, reading paper-covered novels of the sensational type. She had been under the treatment of several physicians, with- out relief, when she came under my care. Her husband's means were greatly reduced, by the expenses attendant upon a sick wife, to whom he was devotedlv attached. After watching1 the case closely, for some time, I became satis- fied, it was one of hysteria, and of that class, in which the symptoms were, to a great degree exaggerated, and to a great degree under con- trol. At first I showed the greatest sympathy, for her apparent sufferings, and she expressed the greatest confidence in my treatment; although she did not appear, to gain the slight- est improvement from it! I became heartily tired of my patient, as she was constantly send- ing for me,upon trivial occasions, and from some expressions dropped to her husband, he began to get tired, of matters as they had been going on. The\T had some words—a little matrimo- nial jar, which threw her into violent hysterics. The poor husband, thought she was gone sure! —that he had killed her, by his harshness. He 20 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. accordingly sent for me, in all haste—his wife was dying! For she had never had a fit like the present, and he did not know what to make of it. It happened to be a bitter cold night, and I wras not over well pleased, to be called out of my warm bed, for what I knew to be a case of no real danger, but the mere tantrums of a hysterical woman. I went however, vow- ing vengeance, if I should find the case, one of hysterical vagaries! I found the patient in strong convulsions, apparently unconscious to all surroundings. Her husband was well-nigh distracted, thought her every plunge, would be the last, before she plunged into eternity, and her poor children, were in the utmost grief. I took in the situation at a glance, and turning to the husband, said : "This is serious, we must get her out of this fit, at once, get me a bucket of cold water." Although she was apparently unconscious, and insensible, and violently convulsed, the fit subsided, and she said to me, in a feeble voice: kv My other doctors tried cold water, and it nearly killed me ! " I told her if that were so, I must try some other line of treatment, and thinking I had aban- doned the idea of cold water treatment, and at HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 21 the same time, hearing her husband's returning footsteps, she immediately " went off," into another violent convulsion, and as she lay,with her back to me, did not see me take the water- pail in my hand, when suddenly, I dashed the whole contents of the pail over her as she lay uncovered, in the bed, for in her struggles, she had kicked the bed clothes off. With one piercing shriek, she sprang to the floor, shaking her dripping night gown ! Her husband was bewildered, at the suddenness of the catastro- phy, when I turned to him, and said with ap- parent relief: " Ah ! that is good. See! it has completely broken the fit. Put on dry clothes, and place her in a dry bed, and get another pail of water, in case of relapse." And I stepped out of the bed room. This was apparently cruel treat- ment, but mark the result—she was completelv cured! No more pain. No more clavus hystericus. No more hysterical paroxysms. I do not wish my readers to think this was altogether a case of pretense. On the contrary, she was perfectly in earnest,only the symptoms were exaggerated, through self-indulgence, and a disinclination to make the necessary effort, to control her feelings. It required the strong 22 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. impression, of a severe shock, and the certainty of its repetition, to overcome the acquired habit. This woman had been, in reality, an object of pity, but the case shows in a remarkable de- gree: First, that the unconsciousness, in those cases, is only apparent. For in the height of her convulsions, she understood, and appre- ciated the threat, of using the cold water, and secondly: If she had not thought I had aban- doned, the idea, of the " cold water cure," she would have so far exercised, the controlling power of her will, as not to have given occasion for its being put in use, for when she found the same " heroic " treatment, would be repeated, the trouble vanished under the same controlling will power. Another illustration of this will power, and consciousness, while apparently in an uncon- scious state, has been going the rounds of the sensational papers, where a hysterical girl fell into a state of" trance" and her friends in deep grief, at her supposed dissolution, employed an artist, to take a plaster cast of her face. When everything was in readiness,to commence opera- tions the patient (though apparently uncon- scious,) became frightened, that she might be HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 23 smothered in reality, and consequently awoke to the delight of her friends, and the great con- sternation, and dismay, of the artist! Stitches, and Pain in the Side, are of frequent occurrence, and often complained of, mimick- ing inflammation of the liver, or spleen, or pleurisy, or pericarditis, and such patients, have submitted to be leeched, cupped, and blistered, where no inflammation of those parts existed, and where, in coming under the care of more experienced physicians, the symp- toms vanished as they came, under the use of some simple placebo, that would have no other effect, than that of allowing any real disease, to become aggravated. Cough.—The cough to which hysterical pa- tients are subject, is very peculiar, being often termed by the uninitiated, a" Churchyard cough.'''' It is loud, harsh, and dry, more like a bark, than a cough: sometimes incessant, at other times, occurring in paroxysms: far more distressing to the listener, than the patient. But strange to say, with this incessant, and to all appearance distressing cough, there is no disease of the lungs,—no expectoration, 24 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. —no loss of flesh. It comes on suddenly, and without apparent cause, and vanishes as sud- denly, and causelessly : nor does the skillful, and experienced physician require, to make any elaborate examination of the lungs, to detect this vagary of hysteria, and diagnose it from serious organic lung disease. In fact I doubt if any, but a perfectly healthy being, could sustain this peculiar cough, for any length of time, and the fact of its presence, is a prima facice evidence of healthy lungs. Hiccough, Eructations, and Vomiting, are also very common, the peculiarity of which is. that though the trouble is continous, and inces- sant, and apparently causing, a total deprivation of rest, yet there is no commensurate loss of flesh, or other injurious effect, upon the general health, and spirits, and the trouble vanishes as suddenly, and causelessly as it appeared. These troubles will be more frequently experienced, when the patient is in the company of friends, than when alone; and excitement, or amuse- ment, will often suspend the attacks. Hjsmatemesis, or Vomiting of Blood. — A curious case of this kind, is described by Dr. hysterical women. 25 Watson, of Middlesex Hospital, London, in the following terms : " A romantic girl was for some months under my care in the hospital, with this complaint. She vomited such quan- tities of dark blood (which did not coagulate, however,) as I would not have believed, if I had not seen it. Day after day, there were pots full of this stuff, yet she did not lose flesh, and she menstruated regularly, and what was curi- ous, the vomiting was suspended, during those periods, and again recurred soon after the dis- charge ceased.—I said she was romantic, but I should rather have said, she had that peculiar mental constitution, which belongs to hysterical females. She used to write me long letters of thanks, for my attention, though I was heartily tired of her, and these were couched, in all the fine language, of the Minerva press. At last I sent her away, just as bad, as when she came to the hospital. This was five, or six, years ago, and last year she called at my house, with a present of some game, and told me she had married a hairdresser, and was quite cured." Hemoptysis, or Spitting of Blood.—Many of those patients exporate daily, or at irregular intervals, a thinnish fluid, something like saliva, 26 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. more or less tinged, or streaked with brown, or florid blood. The friends become alarmed that consumption has set in. The inexperienced physician investigates carefully, and puzzles himself to find out, whether the blood comes from the lungs, or the stomach, while in reality, it comes from neither. It comes from the fauces, or back of the throat, and ia in no way a symptom of serious disease. Diseases of the Throat, are frequently mimicked, as for instance Aphonia, or Loss of Voice.—Often coming on suddenly, without apparent cause, in which the patient seems unable to speak, above a whisper, and sometimes amounting to complete dumbness, without organic change of any kind being discoverable, the disease vanishing as suddenly, and causelessly as it came on. Laryngitis.—Sir Charles Bell, tells of a case, in the Middlesex Hospital, where a patient was admitted in a choking condition, with stridulous breathings, and all the symptoms of acute lar- yngitis. She had twice before, in the country, had the operation of Tracheotomy, performed HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 27 for similar attacks, and the scars of the opera- tion, were visible upon her neck, yet Sir Charles Bell (who was thoroughly posted upon hyster- ical affections), refrained from operative meas- ures, and the patient recovered, under treatment that does good in hysteria, but would be sud- den death (or, as the Jews say, "a meesha mechinna ") in real laryngitis. Dysphagia, or Difficulty of Swallowing, is another of the vagaries assumed by hysterical patients. Dr. Bright, of Guy's Hospital, London, relatesan interesting case, of a patient sent to the hospital for stricture of the (Esophagus^ most distressing, and fatal complaint). It was stated, the difficulty of swallowing had existed several weeks, and was increasing. Dr. Bright, was struck with certain circumstances, that did not consist with the notion, of organic disease, her appearance belied it, and her age. To avoid risks, however, and to satisfy himself, he ex- amined the part, and no sooner had theprobang been introduced, than the patient went off into an hysterical fit, which was followed im- mediately, by hysterics in several females in the ward. The complaint turned out to be nothing, but hysterical constriction, and was 28 HY'STERICAL WOMEN. soon completely cured, by simple means. Hysterical Breast is another freak of this class of patients. The breast becomes painful, and tender, enlarges a little, perhaps. The girl fears " cancer " is breeding. She communicates her alarm to her friends, and a physician is con- sulted. If he happens to be inexperienced, or dishonest, he will perhaps apply fomentations, or leeches, and by examining the breast each visit, makes matters infinitely worse, by keep- ing the patient's attention anxiously fixed upon the condition of the part, and upon every change of sensation there. Whereas, the treat- ment ought to have been directed, to the gen- eral system, and the local trouble ignored, or made light of, when the complaint will be found to vanish as it came. Many a young woman's breast, has been extirpated with the knife, under such circumstances, without the slightest necessity, and they have been thus mutilated, and made the victims of ignorance, or dishonesty, as the case may be. Pseudocyesis, or Mock Pregnancy.—This is one of the most curious (I might say, wonder- ful) vagaries of hysteria ; at the same time, it hysterical women. 29 is rarely met with. In fact, I have only met with three, cases, in a practice of the medical profession of over thirty years. Even the cele- brated Professor Simpson, in his enormous practice, has met with only a few examples, of the disease. The peculiarity of this affection is that hysterical women, take on all the appear- ances of pregnancy, and socloaeisthe "mimic," of the signs of natural pregnancy, from month to month, that real mothers, experienced nurses, and learned physicians, are deceived, to their final great disgust, and chagrin, all the symptoms vanishing suddenly, without the expected result. My first case of this sort, was a young married lady, who requested me to consider myself engaged, to attend her in her appproach- ing confinement, in about three months. Hav- ing made a note of the case, in my engagement book, I took no further notice of the case, till the time arrived, when I called to see when I was likely to be required. She presented upon a cursory view, all the appearances, of a women well advanced, in pregnancy. I never, for a moment, suspected anything, out of the usual course. In fact, at that time, I was entirely ignorant of such cases, or if I had read of 30 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. them, the circumstance had escaped my metin ory, and as I took it for granted, that the lady knew herself to be pregnant, I did not inquire further. Not being called upon at the time specified, I called again, and found the lady weary at the long delay. I, of course, cheered her up, by saying, that nothing was so common, as to be mistaken, about dates, under such cir- cumstances, etc. I had only to await develop- ments, and a month passed over, without the desired event taking place, keeping me in a constant state of expectancy. About this time, I happened to be looking over some of Professor Simpson's lectures, when I came to some remarks upon this subject, and the thought struck me suddenly—could this be the case with Mrs. —? Next day, I called to thor- oughly investigate matters, and, for the first time, made a careful examination of the case. when my consternation may be imagined (I was then young in the profession, and inexperi- enced) to find the lady was not pregnant at all! Here was a sad mess, through my being too ready, to take matters for granted upon the mere statement, of an hysterical woman! I explained matters, as delicately as I could, when my patient became terribly excited, and HYSTERICAL WOMEN. Si burst into an hysterical paroxysm, ending in a torrent of tears,and explosive sobs,during which, the abdominal protuberance, suddenly left, and her clothes hung in folds, over the reduced cir- cumference!—and I retired, vowing solemnly, never again to place confidence in the state ments, of any hysterical woman, without first satisfying myself, of their correctness. In the next case of this description that occurred to me, I did not allow myself, to be so badly fooled. It was an old friend, who had been twice married, and had no family by her first husband. She was of a very hysterical temperament, and had been married, to her second husband, about two years. He, by the by, was a physician. He called upon me one day, in high spirits, to inform me, that his wife was pregnant, and as it was understood, I was to attend her, I called to investigate matters for myself—not having forgotten the lesson I had already learned, about trusting hysterical women's statements. Upon interviewing her, I was struck with certain trifling details, which did not comport, with the idea of pregnancy. Her husband spoke so confidently, however (and he being a physician), I had a delicacy in 32 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. giving a too positive opinion,merely letting them both know that I did not think their supposition correct, adding, by way of a joke, that any- how, when the apple was ripe, it would fall, and then to send for me. In due time my medical friend told me. he could feel the move- ments of the child. But I saw nothing, to justify a change of opinion, and knowing it is seldom profitable, to endeavor, to convince a woman, against her will,—even if it were possi- ble,—I awaited the denotement, in silence, Now, the delightful occupation, of making the baby clothes, was commenced, and the beautiful trosseau, was proudly exhibited, to admiring lady friends. The nurse was engaged, and the great event, impatiently waited for. Nine months came, and passed, without results. Surely, a mistake must have been made, in dates—such mistakes are common ;—more waiting, but with less patience! Ten months passed, and no climax. Strange! Perhaps, our doctor was right? But no! surely that cannot be! Eleven months passed, when a violent paroxysm of hysteria came on, ^ id, presto! the abdominal enlargement vanished suddenly! leaving her stomach soft and flaccid, as a vir- gin's, without other result, than unmitign> .(| HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 33 disgust, and sore disappointment, and a few sly, or ill-natured jokes, of her dear, kind, sympa- thizing, lady friends! The third, and last case, of this disease, that came under my notice, was attended, with far more serious results, the circumstances of which, were as follows: A young woman, of Irish parentage, age 18, unmarried, was afflicted with this form of hys- teria, for some months, when her mother noticed her size, and accused her of unchastity. Of course, the girl denied any misbehavior, on her part. The mother, not being satisfied, brought her to a leading physician, to corroborate her suspicions. The doctor felt her stomach, and observed the swelling, and at the same time, feeling the movement, of wind in the bowels, jumped to the conclusion, that the girl was about seven months pregnant, and so stated to the mother. The girl still denied, with tears, and begged her mother, to give her one, chance more, of proving her innocence, by consulting me. Mother, and daughter, called at my office. " Dochter," said the mother, "this dirty huzzy of mine, has been disgracing av uz, and the impedent thing, is trying to face me out, wid a 34 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. lie. As if the mother of tin childer, knew no better nor that. I want you to examine her, and see av there be anything wrong, wid her. For God, forgive me, av I want to accuse the gurl, av she be innocent." The girl, at a cursory glance, seemed to be, about seven months, advanced in pregnancy. I thereupon told her, she had better "own up," as she could not hide the matter, much longer. She, however, asseverated, most positively, her innocence of the charge. Although the physician who places too much reliance in the statements, and denials of hysterical women, will often find himself, badly fooled, especially in such cases, as theone under discussion, yet there was something, about this poor girl, that influenced me not altogether, to ignore her statements; and as her character, reputation, and future happiness, depended upon my decision, I felt the full responsibility, of my position, and determined, to act with due caution. After a careful examination I concluded the case was one of " mock preg- nancy" (pseudocyesis), and told her mother so adding, there was an easy, and effectual wav, of proving it, to her own satisfaction, by placing the patient, under the influence of chloroform. HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 35 The girl, conscious of her innocence, was willing to submit, to any ordeal I proposed, to prove her honesty. I made the girl undress, in presence of her mother (for this was too serious a matter, to permit any false delicacy to interfere), who upon seeing her stripped, broke out with— "Arrah, Doctor! }tou don't mane to tell me, the mother of tin childer, I don't know the manin', av that ?" and placing her cold hand, on the girl's swollen abdomen, exclaimed: "Blessed Virgin! There's life in it: don't I feel it move ?" " Doon dha veal, mavourneen, be dhu huisth," (Irish for, ' Shut your mouth, my dear, and be silent,') and you will see a miracle." I then administered the chloroform, and soon as she came under the full influence of the anaesthetic, the abdominal muscles relaxed and the suspicious enlargement disappeared. I then, made the mother, feel for herself the girl's stomach, when she cried out: " Saints in heaven! Did yez ever, see the loike av that now? WhyDochtor! lean feel her backbone! The blessed Virgin, be praised, there's no child there ! " 36 HYSTERICAL "WOMEN. Then, as the effect of the chloroform passed off, it was curious to observe, the muscular spasm return,and by the time the girl fully awoke to consciousness, the abdominal protuberance, was nearly as great as ever! I need not say the girl's character was vindicated, to her mother's satisfaction. I explained to her that although she might be satisfied, yet her friends would not be, and that as another physician, had declared the girl pregnant, they would think an abor- tion had been produced by me, and as I well knew, the other physician, to clear his own skirts, and to enjoy the gratification, of the usual professional jealousy, would shrug his shoulders, elevate his eyebrows, and probably hint, that I had " removed the obstruction !" I therefore determined, to give ray medical friend a lesson, and make him more careful in. the future, how he took a girl's character away, upon such a vital question. I therefore wrote him a note, requesting him to meet me at my office, at a certain time, as I wished to consult him, about a curious case, that would be there to meet him. At the appointed time I had the girl, her mother, and two of her most gossiping Irish friends, all on hand. When the doctor arrived, he recognized the girl, and her HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 37 mother, at once, but as I made the mother promise, to " keep a civil tongue," until all was over, and as he did not know what was coming, he kept a discreet silence. I then told him the nature of the case, made the girl undress, and they all examined her and satis- fied themselves that she was pregnant. I then administered the chloroform, with the same result as before,—the same disappearance and return, of the abdominal swelling. Of the doctor, I made a life-long enemy, as he saw the trap laid for him, and the old Irish woman, regardless of her promises, not to make trouble, could no longer contain her indigna- tion, and poured out the vials of her wrath, in torrents of vituperative abuse, in a manner more easily imagined, than described, under the name of a " tongue walloping," the doc- tor, beating a hasty retreat, a wiser but a mad- der man! Disease of the Joints, is very common. A young girl came into Middlesex Hospital, for some trifling complaint, and after a short time, began to complain of great pain in her knee and hi p. She could not stand on the limb, nor bear to have it moved, or touched. Sir Charles 38 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. Bell, examined her, and with all his great expe- rience, was deceived, into thinking it was a genuine case, of inflammation and ulceration of the hip joint. And gave a little lecture to the students at the bedside, upon the character- istic position, in which the patient lay ! He took her into the surgical ward, to be more immediately under his own care. It turned out, however, she had no serious disease of the joint at all, and her disease, and the rigid con- tractions, and pains all gave way under treat- ment suitable to hysteria, and which wTould have been utterly useless in ulcerated joint. The real nature of her case, having been first dis- covered, by the occurrence of an hysterical paroxysm, shortly after her removal to the surgical ward! Sir Benjamin Brodie, (than whom there was no higher authority in Lon- don) declares:—that in the higher classes of society, four-fifths, of the female patients who are commonly supposed, to labor under disease of the joints, labor under hysteria, and nothing else. Disease of the Spine.—The patient com- plains of pain, and tenderness in her back, and weakness in her lower extremities, and it has HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 39 now become notorious ,that scores of young women, have been unnecessarily confined for months, and years to a horizontal position, and have had their backs seamed with issues, for supposed spinal disease, who had in reality nothing the matter with them, other than hysteria, and who would have been cured effectually, by a daily ride upon horseback, with lively companions, instead of having been commiserated, and imprisoned in an unnatural position. And here I may again refer, to the peculiar mental condition of those patients. After lying upon her back for some time, she becomes unable to stand, or walk simply because she thinks so. The instant she makes, a real bona-fide effort (which she is not generally inclined to do), she not only can, but does, use her limbs, and a cure is effected. The same thing holds good, in those persons, susceptible to the influences of mesmerism. The mes- merist, electro-biologist (or call him what you will), makes use of a physiological fact: that by fatiguing the optic nerve, a temporary paralysis (though of short duration), of the muscles of the eyes is induced. He orders the patient, to fix her attention, and gaze steadily upon a certain object—his own eye, or it may be a piece of 40 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. metal held in the hand. Few persons can sit absolutely still, for five, or ten minutes, without experiencing sensations, of which they were previously unconscious, and especially so, if they are watching for unknown, or mysterious results. When the mesmerist observes the eyelids becoming fatigued, he suddenly closes them with firm pressure, at the same time ordering her authoritatively, to shut her e}7es, and defying her to open them, which owing to the pressure, and fatigue causing a temporary paralysis, she is unable to do, for the time being even though trying her utmost. The mes- merist still watching closely, as soon as he observes the first symptoms of the paralysis,pass- ing off, and before the patient has yet regained the power, again orders her to open her eyes, which she now is enabled to do, of her own unaided effort. This is " the narrow end of the wedge," and if he succeeds in this trick, it is a simple matter to impress the minds of many persons, so forcibly with the idea, that he really has the power he claims, to make her do thus, and so, that she yields her will, to his stronger will, and impressive manner, at each experi- ment being more, and more easily impressed, by his hocus pocus. HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 41 Thus in these imitations of spinal, and joint disease, so common in hysterical women, the truth of the Scripture dogma: "All things are possible to those having faith," is in some sense illustrated. The patient believes she cannot stand, or move the limb, and it would appear she really could not do so, and again, under some religious, or other strong mental impres- sion, she believes she can do so, when presto! she straightens the limb, and a miracle is per- formed, and heralded through the sensational religious press, as an example of a faith cure. In this connection, it may be well to make brief allusion, to the more recent developments, made by scientists, in subject of animal mag- netism, under the more scientific designation of "hypnotism?'' Without entering on the details of its history, and investigation, I may mention, the study of the subject has recently made great strides, under the methodical, and scientific investigation, made by M. Charcot, and others, at the great Hospital of Salpietre, in Paris, where all the resources, of that great institution, have been at their disposal ; the results of this investigation may be summed up as follows: Hypnotism, may be produced upon any per- son, consenting, and on some, even against their 42 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. consent. Hysterical patients, are more sus- ceptible to it than others. This class of persons, can be thrown into "deep hyp- notism," while in others, it only assumes a mild form, of hypnotic sleep. That the hyp- notic sleep, consists in three states—lethargy 3 catalepsy, and somnambulism, — during the existence of each, separate classes of phenom- ena, can be produced, many of which amount to the marvellous. All have their origin, from the influences, of " suggestion.'''' This " sugges- tion," may be originated, by the experimenter, or be "auto-suggestions," arising within the patient's own consciousness, from the experi- ence gained, while in a state of hypnosis, upon former occasions, or developed without any extraneous action whatever. Thus, paralysis, or rigidity, (as the case may be,) of a limb, may be produced, and removed : visual sensibility, may be produced, or removed, in whole, or in part, by the mere "suggestion," of the experi- menter, during the presence of the hypnotic sleep, or at any time in the future, as may be suggested by the operator. Various acts, and conditions may be sug- gested, by the operator to a patient, in a hyp- notic sleep, to occur at a future time, after the HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 43 patient awakes, and she will perform them in correct detail. Thus the operator may sayi " To-morrow at ten o'clock, you will break out in a perspiration, and then come to my office," and she will carry out the suggestion; or '• Next Wednesday, you will be going upstairs, and become paralyzed wiien you reach the sixth step," and it will so occur. This phase of hypnotism may be modified in an endless degree; and after awaking, the patient will have forgotten all the details of the occurrences, during the ln/pnotic sleep. More especially is this the case, if the "suggestion " is carefully raiterated, that she will not remember those details, after awaking, and it has been found, that when the patient comes to perform the act wk suggested" she will have forgotten the cause, that led up to it, and will invent some explanation, other than the true one, for the cause of her action, and assert it with full con- sciousness, of its truth. It has also been proven. that the sensibility of such patients is remarka bly acute : sight, hearing, taste, smell,and touch. inav become supersensitive, or temporarily placed in abeyance. The details, of the won- derful results, of the experiments made at Sal- pietre Hospital,—when the possibility of imposi 44 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. tion, was carefully excluded,—would fill a book of itself, and cannot here be entered upon, further than tosay,the above fundamental principles, of hypnotism, have been fairly proven by the experiments made. It will therefore be seen,that there is a marked co-relation, between the hysteric, and the hypnotic condition, and the experimenter, can at will, produce either hys terical, or hypnotic effects, in his patient. The controlling effect of "suggestion" or "auto suggestion" can be shown, to account for many, of the phenomena occurring in cases mentioned in this monograph. Thus it has been "sug- gested," to a hypnotic patient, that at a certain time, and place, she would break out into a perspiration, and not only so, but would have even, a bloody sweat, and it has duly occurred, at both time, and place, and actual drops of blood, have oozed through the skin ! Doubtless, the case in which this occurrence took place, was an unusually supersensitive, subject, and highly hysterical. But the fact, that such an occurrence, could be made to take place, at all, throws a light upon that strange phenomena, of "stigmata/' which up to a recent date was inexplicable. A much more common "sugges- tion " is in the case of paralysis, when a hyp- HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 45 notic patient is told she will have paralysis, of a limb, when she wakes up, and for all practical purposes, she becomes so. It requires no stretch of imagination to allow, that an hysterical pa- tient receiving some trivial injury, " suggests," to herself, the idea of paralysis, etc.,and brooding over the subject, her bodily function, becomes subservient to her mental "suggestion," and she does, in fact, take on all the appearances of a paralysis, and closely "mimics," the same; with this difference however, that the case is only one, of pseudo-paralysis, and subject to removal, upon a fresh "suggestion" stronger however than the first, being impressed upon her mind, that the case is only functional, and entirely imaginary, when a cure is affected. This subject of hypnotism, however, is too large, and would carry me away too far, from my subject. I must therefore tear myself away from its attractive, and fascinating considera- tions, leaving my readers to pursue the subject for themselves, by the study of its extensive literature. In the London hospitals, great trouble is caused, by this class of patients. In most of them the attendant succeeds, in making them walk, and convincing them, they can do so without diffi- 46 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. culty, provided they will only try honestly. Sometimes the authorit}' of the physician fails, when recourse is had to coercive measures, of stronger influence, and the desired effect is secured. A Case related by Sir Benjamin Brodie, illus- trates this in a remarkable degree. A lady of high family, had been lying for several months upon her back, that position having been ordered by her physician, for presumed spinal disease. She lost all power of her legs, but got quite fat, as indeed she might well do, for her appetite was remarkably sharp, and she lived chiefly upon chicken. The number of chickens she devoured, was incredible. At last Sir Benja- min Brodie, was sent for. Now Sir Benjamin was " uj) " to those cases, and wished to see her try to walk. The patient declared it was impos- sible, the mere attempt would " kill her." Sir Benjamin, was resolute however, and had her lifted out of bed, and placed in the middle of the floor, without support. It is needless to say it did not " kill her," nor did she even fall, and hurt herself, but in a few days, was walking about quite well, and grateful to him, for his judgment and firmness! A physician, how- HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 47 ever, of less fame and less firmness, would in all probability, have failed. A Similar Case, is described by Dr. Bright. He was called upon to visit a young lady, who had been confined to bed for nine months, already. If she attempted to move, she was thrown into a parox3Tsm of agitation, and excru- ciating agony, affecting more particularly the abdomen. She had almost lost the use of her lower limbs, and she, and her friends, seemed to have given over, all hope of her recovery, but she presented no appearance of visceral disease. Her countenance bore no mark of important trouble, nor was it possible to dis- cover, any trace of organic disease. Dr. Bright set the case down in his owrn mind, as one of hysteria. She was thought to have derived relief, from some stimulating injections, and certain pills. As her friends were in moderate circumstances, Dr.Bright, talked seriously with her mother, and recommended her to sub- stitute water for the injections, and bread pills for those she had been in the habit of using. The mother soon found, that these means produced just as tranquilizing an effect, upon her daughter,^as#-had hither- 48 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. to, been ascribed to the medicine! His visits became less frequent, and after an absence of a fortnight, upon renewing his visits, no change had taken place. He attempted to get her removed to the sofa, but found it impossible, the paroxysm nearly overcame her. After watching the case for nine months, more, and finding no change for the better, he called one day, and the girl's sister met him at the door, with a smiling face, to tell him her sister was quite recovered, and related how, three morn- ings before, under a deep religious feeling she completely recovered all her potver! and he found her sitting up working, and amusing herself. These are the cases to which shrines, and holy wells in Europe, owe their decorations of half-worn crutches, hanging around, these cases, if some authority in whom they have confi- dence, (be it priest, with holy water—electro Biologist, with mesmeric passes—homoeopath, with his globules, or hydropath, with his wet sheet—or sensational revival preacher, with long, and loud prayers, and penitential seat), shall order them, to take up their bed and walk, they will do so, and the performance of a miracle j-J6 braided throughout the length, and HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 49 breadth of the land, by a sensational press. To prevent the above remarks being misconstrued, and considered to slight the miracles, of our blessed Savior, I wish right here, to put clearly upon record, that I personally, with unquestion- ing, and child-like faith, accept the gospel record of those miracles, as true and genuine. But it is against the spurious charlatanry, humbug, and hypocrisy, of these latter clays, that I wish to raise my voice, and against that false, and misguided zeal, that causes the gospel of Christ, to be evil spoken of. A few years ago, the religious press teemed, with accounts of a similar case, of a young woman who had been, supposed, to be paralytic for years, when a sensational revival preacher, pursuaded her to believe; that if she prayed for recovery with strong faith, upon a certain day, she would recover at once, and she did so, and was cured. When in reality the case would have yielded, as readily, to the treatment adopted in the London hospitals. Far be it from me however to write, or speak one word, tending to lessen, or slight the value, benefit, comfort, and duty of personal prayer to Almighty, God, in reference to our daily wants, wishes, trials, or blessings, or to limit in an^jagJpBBPIjfcgfcarid 50 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. over-ruling influence, in the daily affairs of our lives, of an omnipotent, and ever present, God, nor do I for a moment doubt the promises, that such prayers if properly made in faith, and humility will be abundantly answered, if not at the time, and in the manner we expect, or wish, yet surely for the best interests of the humble, and loving supplicant. But this sensationalism in religion, is nothing more nor less, than one of the vagaries of hysteria, as much as bogus spinal complaint, or hipjoint disease, and this liysteria of religion, as I would call it, should be carefully guarded against by Christian people, and ministers, as very differ- ent from, and a mere mimic of, the great out- pouring of the Holy Spirit, much to bedesired, and expected, just prior to the soon coming end, of this dispensation. And what is this treatment, so successful in the London hospitals? There, cases are brought in, with stiffened joint,where the limb has been bent up, and immovable for weeks, or months— every attempt to straighten it, being attended with the greatest agony. A stream of cold water (the colder the better), is poured from a height, upon the part affected. After the stream of w-afeef, is^kept up for a while, the pa- HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 51 tient complains loudly but the house surgeon is inflexible (more so indeed than the limb !) and he goes on with the water. The limb begins to tremble—it is about to yield. And under a continuance of the cold water, the muscles relax entirely, and the limb becomes lithe, lissom, and manageable. Sometimes indeed the state of rigidity returns, but the application of the ''cold douche" overcomes it—each application being shorter in duration, than the former : till at length, the mere mention of " cold douche," overcomes it every time, and is sufficient to re- store the flexibility of the joint, and the pa- tient metaphorically, is enabled to take up her bed, and walk—out of the hospital permanently cured ! This treatment however is more appli- cable to hospital, than private practice, as it requires great determination, upon the part of the physician, and the patient regards him as a Brute, spelled with a very big B, while the friends will not permit, what they consider such " rough treatment.^ Sir Charles Clark, whose authority, and ex- perience cannot be questioned, read a paper be fore the Royal College of Physicians, in which he recommends, " the sudden and lavish" appli 52 HYSTERICAL women. cation of cold water, and naively says: — "Although those patients obtain great relief from this treatment, they do not like it, and if they are convinced, that it will be put in force, they will contrive not to require it ! " One of his (Sir Charles Clark's) cases, was a young lady in the highest aristocracy,who was affected with "lock jaw!" She could not open her mouth, either to speak or eat. He compre- hended at a glance, that it was a vagary of hysteria, mimicking a real disease. He conse- quently placed her with her head, hanging over a tub at the bed side, and proceeded to pour pitchers of cold water, over her face; before he had emptied the second, the patient began to scream, giving audible evidence, that the lock- jaw had vanished, never to return while under his treatment! All those pseudo diseases, will terminate sud- denly, under strong mental impression—a fire, earthquake, or great terror will often put an end to them. They are the cases, that glorify the pretensions of quacks, and charlatans. Their mental condition is so distorted, that deception, and untruthfulness, become the rule. The most disgusting habits are practiced, by many of them, for no apparent reason, other HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 53 than a wish to gratify, a morbid longing for sympathy, commiseration, and notoriety, or the indulgence of erotic, and prurient ideas. Illus- trating this, I will quote once more from Dr. Watson's Lectures:—'* Some of the shapes assumed by this pathological 'Proteus,' are hideous, and disgusting. i Paralysis of the bladder,'' sometimes really occurs, sometimes it is only aped in hysteria. It is a common trick in those patients, to pretend they labor under 'retention of urine,'' and that although the bladder is full, they cannot make water. The daily introduction of a catheter by the dresser, or apprentice offers to gratify their morbid, and prurient feelings. Sometimes no doubt the difficulty is real, but it is often feigned, or exaggerated. I have again, and again known it to disappear, upon the patient being left, without pity, to her own resourses, but girls have been known, to drink their urine, in order to conceal the fact, of their having been obliged, and able to void it. The state of mind, evinced by many of these hysterical young persons, is such as to entitle them, to our deepest commiseration. The deceptive appear- ances, displayed in their bodily functions, and feelings, find their counterpart in the mental, 54 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. The patients are deceitful, perverse, and obsti- nate, practicing, or attempting to practice, the most aimless, and unnatural impositions. They will procure fragments of common gravel, and assert most positively, that they were voided with their urine. Or they will secrete cinders, or stones, in the vagina, and pretend to be suffering from calculous disease. A young woman contrived in one of our large hospitals, to make the surgeon believe she had stone in the bladder, and she actually submitted to be tied up, in the position for Lithotomy, before a theatre full of medical students, and 'then the imposition was detected. Sometimes, they will simulate suppression of urine and after swallow- ing the urine they have passed, will vomit it again, to induce the belief, that the secretion has taken place through a new, and unnatural channel." The desire to be thought different from other people, is a very powerful factor, in producing wonderful cures, to astonish the ignorant, and if possible deceive, or mystify the physician. I had a young lady residing with me for special treatment, who gave a remarkable, and nearly fatal exemplification of this feeling. She would do the most extraordinary things, in order to HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 55 prove to me, that she was "differently consti- tuted, from other young women," and that 1 did not understand her case, which culminated in the following, well-nigh tragic episode. One morning she came in to breakfast, and greeted me with a smile of conscious superiority, which caused me during family prayers to wonder, " What newr vagary has my young friend adopted ?" I was not however left long in doubt. After she rose from her knees, and sat down to breakfast: just as she raised her cup to her lips, she threw herself back in a spasm. This was no hysterical spasm however. But horror! It was the spasm of strychnine poison ! Fortunately I detected it upon the moment, and applied suitable remedies, and by means of prompt, and vigorous treatment, and fighting the poison for some hours, by the blessing of God, finally saved her life. She then acknowl- edged, that she went into my office, and got at the str}7chnine bottle, and took a large dose. When I asked her what possessed her to com- mit such a folly, she replied that she knew it was poison, but as she considered herself "differently constituted," from other persons, she did not think, it would affect her injuriously, and she anticipated enjoying my surprise, and 56 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. astonishment when she would tell me, she had even taken strychnine, and it had no effect upon her! However she was now satisfied, her ideas of her own state were altogether wrong. The fright caused by her narrow escape, checked the development of any further hysterical vagaries, in her case. Right here, it will not be out of place, to refer briefly, to the subject of "Faith Cures" which of late years, have been subject to much consideration in the religious world, both in the United States, through the experiences of Carrie Judd, and others, and in England, at Bethsan. "Faith Cure," "Christian Science," and all •other systems of the cure of disease, without the use of medical treatment, by whatever name they may be known, will upon investiga- tion, be found to resolve themselves into three, great classes: The first, being imaginary, and hysterical, or the sequelae of real diseases, in which the original disease, has subsided, or worn itself out, so to speak, without the patient realizing the fact, and which are subject to cure, or removal, by any strong mental, or ner- vous influence—abundant examples of which, will be found described, i n th is monograph. The HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 57 second class, are entirely fraudulent, or in pure, and well understood Anglo-Saxon language, are simply lies, and nothing else—Lies, in italics; Lies, in small capitals, and LIES in faced tvpe. Deliberately, and knowingly manufactured, and concocted, for the purpose of eliciting sympa- thy, causing a sensation, or gaining a notoriety, or for •• pure cussedness." The third, class, however, are cases of real,bona fide, disease, of greater, or less gravity, cured, or removed spontaneously, without any other known means, than prayer: faith, and the anointing with oil. Doubtless, my readers will have little difficulty, in giving their adhesion, and agreement to my view of the first, two classes; but many will stop short, at the third, as if it was something too large, for them to swallow. Let us there- fore consider the matter, a little further. There is no experienced physician (and the more ex- perienced he is, the better he'knows it) who is not conscious, that there is an overruling influence—The nature of which he cannot explain, which modifies, the result, of his treat- ment, and upsets all his calculations, in particu- lar cases. He may talk very learnedly, about "personal peculiarities," or to use a bigger, and more impressive, word, may call it, 58 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. idiosyncracies—(a big word that looks very learned,) seldom however admitting, that it was simply, the will of God, that such, and such results, should follow, although contrary to the teachings of science, and human exper- ience. Yet, such cases are actually based, upon as strong (if not stronger), evidence, than would be sufficient, in any court of justice, and before any intelligent jury, to convict a man of murder, in the first degree. And men will not accept the evidence, or abundant authority, strong as Holy Writ, from which I may quote one passage, so strong, and clearly expressed, that I cannot refrain from giving it, my full adhesion. " Is any sick, among you ? Let him call the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil, in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith, shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up," James, v: 14, 15. Doubtless, this is one of those things, that is hard to be received, and that at present, " we can only see through a glass darkly," and it is not for me, to presume, to explain, before the time that all things will be made clear. Nor yet, to shrink from the unpopularity, or ridicule for confessing my faith, in both the truth of the Scripture, and HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 59 the possibility of such cures, be they few or many. At the same time, as experience teaches us, that the affairs of this world, are carried on subject to certain laws, and conditions. There can be no scientific reason, why the great Creator, of those laws, and conditions, cannot modify, or abrogate the same, in whole, or in part, temporarily, or continuously at His will. Nor is there any valid reason, why the sick, not having the needful degree of living faith, should not avail themselves, of the experience of physicians, who have devoted themselves, to the laws of life, and health, and the effect of the modifying causes thereon. With respect to treatment, it is not within the scope of this book, to enter upon that sub- ject, further than to say, that gentleness, and firmness, should mark the conduct of the phy- sician, and friends—at. least at the commence- ment of the treatment. If afterwards harsh measures become necessary, the true physician must not shrink from his duty, to secure in all cases, as speedy a cure as possible, even at the risk of losing, a profitable connection, or other pecuniary loss. I will, however, now proceed to recite, a few miscellaneous cases, which are well worthy of perusal from their curiosity, or 60 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. as illustrating some point, in the previous remarks; many of these cases being extraordi- nary, beyond the wildest efforts of fiction. PART II. MISCELLANEOUS CASES. Religious Demonomania.—The inhabitants of Morzines, in Haut Savoie, live in a state of great poverty, and bad hygiene. This epidemic had lasted for four years, and affected as many as 110, out of a population of 2,000. Those affected were termed possessed, were mostly unmarried, pale, and suffering from Dys- menorrhea. Everything gave occasion to a paroxysm, especially a doubt of their being " possessed." The phenomena were hysterical, and the affected possessed consciousness, and self-control not to injure, or expose themselves during the most distorted actions. The epi- demic was arrested, by removing the priest, and intimidating the people, by the presence of soldiers! Catalepsy, at Bellinghausen.—Catalepsy has been long prevalent at Bellinghausen, which lies near Warzburg, and has a population of peasants, who are well off, but who intermarry into each other's families The affected, 61 62 hysterical women called "t/ie stiff" (Starren), are suddenly seized, by a peculiar sensation of their limbs, upon which all the muscles become tense, their coun- tenance deadly pale; they retain any position which they first assume. Their fingers are bent, and quiver slightly, and the eyeballs, in the same manner, wThile squint occurs. Their intellect, and senses are normal, but their speech, only consists of broken sounds. The attack ceases in from one, to five minutes, and the body becomes warm. The attack comes on at all times, and in all places, but with vary- ing intensity. Nearly half the population are cataleptic. Aphonia, or Loss of Voice.—Dr. Hutchin- son, reports a case of a young woman of 20, who suddenly became deaf and dumb, and remained so for four months, in spite of all treat- ment. After being etherized once, she regained her bearing. Two days later, she was etherized again, and she regained some power of speech. After a third etherization, she regained her speech entirely, and again lost her hearing. A fourth etherization produced no effect, but after a few days she quite regained all her faculties, without further treatment. HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 63 Hysteria, a Curious Case.—Dr. Holt, in the London Lancet, records a case of hysteria, as follows : A girl, age 14, of healthy appearance, having never suffered from previous malady, wras admitted January, 1862, to the hospital at Milan, with a disorder which has existed for two years, in spite of all treatment. Every day at precisely one o'clock, she begins to shake her head from right to left, gently at first, but with ever increasing rapidity, and so great is the velocity these movements attain, toward three o'clock, that it is almost impossible, to distin- guish her features. Her long hair is wafted in all directions, her mouth is firmly compressed, and her fists are clenched. From time to time, she bursts into a violent fit of laughter; the pupil of her eye is contracted, and there is no muscu- lar twitching in any part, consciousness and voluntary motion remain unimpaired. Exactly at three o'clock, the paroxysm terminates. ' She falls back in a state of complete exhaustion, panting for breath, and in a profuse perspi- ration. She eats her dinner with appetite at 4:30. At 5, p. m., she falls into a state of complete insensibility, and remains so till 5 next morning, from which time till the recur- rence of the attack, at 1 o'clock, p. m., she is perfectly calm, and sensible. 64 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. Curious Case.—Dr. Kinder Wood, records a curious case as follows: A young married woman after having suffered severe pain in one side of her face, began to be troubled with involuntary movements. They commenced in the eyelids, which were opened, and shut, with excessive rapidity. Then the muscles of the extremities became affected. The palms of her hands, were beat rapidly upon the thighs, and the feet upon the floor. The motion soon extended to the trunk. The patient was suddenly, half raised from her chair, and instantly reseated. This was repeated as quickly, as one action could possibl\T succeed another. Sometimes she had a propensity to leap upwrards, and strike the ceiling with the palms of her hands, or touch little spots, or holes in the furniture of the room, or she would dance upon one leg, holding the other in one hand. These attacks were accompanied by headache, sickness of the stomach, and vomiting. At last she took to making steps about the room, regulated by an air, or series of strokes, upon the furniture as she passed, her lips moving, as if words were articulated, but no sound escaping them. A person thinking he recognized the tune she beat upon the furniture, HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 65 began to sing it, and she danced directly up to him, and continued dancing till he was out of breath. A drum, and fife, were now procured, and the same air played upon them, she imme- diately danced up to the drum, and as close to it as possible, till she missed the step, when the motions instantly ceased, and this was found to always be the case. The motions stopped when the measure changed, or was increased in rapidity, beyond her power to keep pace with it. A continued roll of the drum, had also the effect, of putting an end to the movements This being discovered, their approach was watched, and by always rolling the drum, as soon as they threatened to begin, the chain of association which seemed to constitute the disease, was at length broken. One might conceive the conduct here described, was an indication of folly, or insanity, but Mr. Wood, declares that the patient's spirits were good and her perceptions, and judgment accurate and just. That during the absence of the paroxysm, she went about her household duties as usual, and she had a correct knowledge of her situation, and the advantage she derived from the drum : with an anxious desire, to con- tinue its use. She stated there was always, Q6 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. a tune, dwelling upon her mind, which at times becoming more pressing, irresistibly compelled her, to commence the involuntary movements. Another Curious Case.—Dr. Abercrombie, had a patient who presented the following symptoms : After she had been ill with var- ious nervous affections, for two years, began to suffer convulsive action, of the muscles of her back, and involuntary twitches of the legs, and arms, producing a variety of movements of the whole body, very difficult to describe. These were very much increased by touching her, especially on any part of the back. At one time, there was difficulty of deglutition, so that attempts to swallow produced spasms, resem- bling those of lockjaw. At other times, after lying for a long time quiet, she would in an instant throw her whole body, into a kind of convulsive spring, by which she was.jerked en- tirely out of bed. In the same manner, while sitting, or lying, upon the floor, she would fling herself into bed, or would leap as a salmon might do, upon the top of a wardrobe, fully five feet high, being feats which surpass the power, of any ordinary person in health. Dur- ing the whole of those symptoms, her mind HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 67 continued entire, and the only account she could give of her extravagances, was a secret impulse, which she could not resist. But after a while, motions still more wonderful, com- menced, affecting the muscles of the upper part of the back, and neck, producing a constant, sem- rotatory motion of the head. This sometimes continued, without interruption, night and day, for several weeks together, and if the head or neck were touched, the motion was increased, to a most extraordinary degree of rapidity. The affection suddenly ceased, with a convul- sive start, of the whole body. She was then immediately well, got up, and was able to walk about in good health, for several weeks, when the same symptoms returned. All this went on for four years; at last she had a severe parox- ism, of rotary motion of the head, which con- tinued for three weeks, without intermission, nio-ht, or day. At length, in the middle of the nio-ht, the paroxysm ceased in an instant, with the same kind of convulsive start, and she re- mained well ever afterwards. A Similar Case.—A case occurred in Dr. Watt's, of Glasgow, practice of a girl with the following very extraordinary symptoms: First, 68 HYSTERICAL WOMEN, she had headache accompanied with vomiting, and increased by the slightest deviation of the body, from the erect posture, either backward, forward, or to one side. The symptoms lasted for one month, and during that time she lost her power of speech, and of walking. At the end of that time, she was siezed with a propen- sity, to twirl round on her feet, like a top, with great velocity, and always in the same direc- tion, and was pleased, when those about her assisted, in increasing the rapidity of her move- ments. After continuing nearly a month, these motions ceased, the headache returned, and she became unable to move her neck, or support her head. Soon after, she was visited with a new kind of motion. She would lay herself across the bed, and turning over like a roller, move rapidly from one end, to the other; at first the fits of this kind lasted two hours, but they gradually extended to six, or seven, hours every day. On being carried to a garden, she rolled rapidl}7, from one end of a gravel walk to another, and even when laid in a shallow part of the river, though apparent^ upon the point of being drowned, she began to turn round as usual. The rotations were about sixty in a minute. She made little, or no use HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 69 of her arms in revolving. In about a month, or six weeks, an entirely new set of movements began. She lay on her back, and by drawing her head and heels together, bent herself like a bow, then allowing her heels to separate, her buttocks fell, with considerable force, upon the bed. She repeated these movements ten, or twelve times, a minute, first for six hours daily, and at length for fourteen. After another space of about five weeks, had elapsed, the most singular freak of all ensued. She became possessed with a propensity, to stand upon her head, with her feet perpendicularly upward; as soon as the feet were elevated in this man- ner, all muscular exertion seemed to be with- held, and the body fell down as if dead, her knees striking the bed first. This was no sooner done than she remounted as before, and continued to do so from twelve, to fifteen times, a minute. After a variety of fruitless treatments, a spontaneous diarrhoea came on, and she recovered completely. A Similar Case is described by Dr. Hunter,of Glasgow, where the motions were said to be furious, and alarming. They were executed with such extreme rapidity, that it was diffi- 70 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. cult, even for the eye to follow them. She appeared to be looking backward, forward, and in every direction, at the same moment. This woman has sometimes fifty, paroxysms of this kind in a day. They greatly exhausted her, but she was perfectly rational in the intervals. In connection with this class of cases, I refer my readers to, " Sir John Sinclair's Statistical Ac- count of Scotland" for an account of a curious epidemic, which occurred in Lanarkshire, under the head of " Conversions of Chjimbuslang." A similar epidemic occurred several years ago, in Tennessee, and Kentucky, U. S. A. Hysterical Anaesthesia, and Paralysis. Las- segue, records the following case. A girl, age eighteen years, previously hysterical, was attack- ed by paroxysms of spasmodic disorder, which returned at intervals, during twyo years. After one of those she became " cataleptic," and sub- sequently fell into the same state every two, or three days. At first the fits only occurred, after an attack of the spasmodic disorder : but after a period they came on spontaneously. They con- sisted of deep sleep, coming on, and ceasing, suddenly. The limbs were flexible, but the jaws locked. All parts of the body, except the HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 71 face, retained any position in which they were placed, for a longer or shorter period, without any feeling of weariness,or consciousness of the peculiarity, of the position, being experienced. Her circulation and respiration were unaltered, the face was pale during the attack ; all con- sciousness seemed to be suspended. In the in- tervals it appeared, that cutaneous sensibility was quite lost, in all four extremities, as regards contact, pain, and temperature; the same was the case in the greater part of the trunk. In the head and neck it was much di- minished. The parts subjacent to the skin were anaesthetic (without feeling), like the skin itself. As far as the skin was sensitive, the patient was able to move voluntarily, the sub- jacent muscles, while the eyes were closed. If on the contrary, she wished to move a limb, she writhed the trunk to and fro, as a sign her volition was active, but no movement of the limb was effected. She appeared quite uncon- scious of the position of her limbs, or their be- ing changed in any way. She had no sense of fatigue, and as soon as her eyes were closed; she kept the most uncomfortable position, which would have been intolerable, in a few seconds, to a healthy person. When her eyes 72 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. were open, she had full use of her motor power, and experienced the sense of fatigue, after a moderate time. If the eyes though open, were not directed to the object, the movements were imperfectly executed, but if once commenced could be completed. If she could only see her limbs, through the bed clothes, she was able to make use of them. It is a peculiar feature of hysterical anaesthesia, that patients take no account of it, and do not mention it, as they do pains, or paralysis. Even when their attention is called to it, they cannot point out accurately, the locality, and extent of the insensible parts, as one suffering from a non-hysterical, form of the same disease. A Similar Case, was a hysterical patient, who had paralysis of her lower limbs, as far as the middle of the thigh, but not elsewiiere, in whom there was no sleepiness. She w^as able, when her eyes were open, to move her limbs in any position, and was aware how they were placed. When, however, her eyes wTere closed, she lost all sensation of fatigue, and would hold her arms, in the most uncomfortable position, for any length of time. In this case the sense of fatigue, was lost, but the power of motion remained. hysterical women. 73 Paralysis.—The case I am about to portray is characteristic, and illustrative of hysterical mimicking of paralysis, and bearing out many of the facts given above. A class of cases to which an American physician, has given the appropriate name of "bed sickness" where the patient lies in bed, imagining she is unable to rise, and occasionally suffering from acute, and excruciating pain, if her statements are to be believed. I use the word " i?nagining,"a,dvised\y, for there is no bodily disease whatever, but a disordered imagination. And yet she under- goes the most severe, and nauseating treatment without objection, for months, and years. Yet she wrastes not, neither does a wrinkle, mar the beauty of her features; her appetite good ; her bodily functions intact, except she cannot use her limbs, and complains of paroxysms of excruciating pain. Mrs. J., age twenty-three, married, no family, uterine functions regular, and healthy, appetite good, appearance plump, and healthy. States that jeighteen months before, while lifting a weight, she was seized with excruciating pain, all the way from her hip, to the extremity of her toe, with complete loss of use of the limb, 74 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. and has lain in bed ever since, incapable of moving the limb. Her husband, a lawyer of eminence, sympathized deeply with his wife in her affliction, and spared no expense in securing medical treatment. First he employed a homoeopathic physician.for several months, and underwent a course of globules, potencies, and 14th dilutions, and diet without benefit. She then changed her medical attendant, to one of the so-called eclectic school, who also, had her under treatment, for some months, and after exhausting all, the vegetable preparations of their pharmacopoeia,f rom aconite to zingaber- ine, told her husband, the case was beyond his skill, and he had better try some other school of medicine. The case then fell into the hands, of a so-called allopath, or regular old school physician, and the following is a condensed list, of the remedies he tried but all in vain : Iron, quinine, and arsenic, belladonna, strych- nine, and phosphorus, iodides, and bromides^ hyocyamus, opium, and hasheesh,valerian, cam- phor, and asafcetida, mercury, leeches, blisters, and cupping, hypodermic injections of morphia, and atropine, etc., all without benefit! What a wonderful constitution, to have stood it all without injury! Or, as I suspect, she did not take one-half, that was prescribed for her! HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 75 When she came under my care, she looked well, and plump, a little pale perhaps, from long confinement, with good appetite. Having made an exhaustive examination, of her case, and found absolutely nothing wrong, either with her organs, or their functions, except that she occasionally, suffered from hysterical attacks, yet there she lay, and had lain for eighteen, months in bed, unable to use her left leg, and complaining occasionally, of attacks of severe pain. I saw at once that medicine, in this case was perfectly useless, after all that had been done, and a beneficial effect, could only be obtained, by " moral suasion;" conse- quently I took occasion, to have a private inter- view, with her, which resulted pretty much as follows: Doctor. "My dear Madam, there are pecu- liarities about your case, that require peculiar treatment, and confidential relations between patient, and physician; you may therefore rely, upon my not betraying any confidence, you may repose in me, or the knowledge of your case, that results from my examination of it." Lady. " Well, Doctor, I would like to know, the real truth about my case, as my other doctors, always seemed unwilling, or unable to 76 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. tell me, what I most wanted to know. And oh ! I have suffered so much, I have quite lost heart, and despair of ever getting well again." Doctor. "You must not be too hard, upon your other doctors, as it is not always wise, pleasant, or profitable, to tell the whole truth, to a patient. But as you seem to be, of a higher order of intelligence, than the usual run, of female patients, if you promise, not to take anything I say amiss, I will risk it, and tell you the real truth, of your case." Lady. " Oh ! do, Doctor, do!" Doctor. You know I have carefully inves- tigated your case, and made examination of every part of your body." Lady. "And what have you found the trouble Doctor?" Doctor. 'Nothing! Absolutely nothing, to prevent your getting up out of bed, right nowT!—but a disordered imagination." Lady. " Oh Doctor! I see you do not un- derstand my case." Doctor. " Wait a minute, and I will con- vince you." Lady\ " You can't do it, Doctor ! What ? Make me get up right now ? Ha ! ha! I wish you could!" HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 77 Doctor. "Listen," I then described a number of cases similar to hers, where patients were en- tirely cured, by simply making an honest effort, without taking one drop of medicine, although they had lain for months, and years, possessed with the idea, that they were paratyzed. Lady. "What you tell me is certainly very wonderful, but I am sure my case, is not one of those." Doctor. " We shall see presently. If I were to take your husband, into my library, and show him the reports, of one hundred just such cases as I have described, and vouched for by the highest medical authorities, in Europe, and America, and explain the facts to him, what would he think ? He would lose all confidence in }'ou, and think you had been deceiving, and imposing upon his simplicity, all these months." Lady. "Oh, Doctor! I would not have my husband read of those cases, for the world. He would never even listen, to an explanation. I would submit, to any treatment, rather than that!" Doctor. " Fear not, I am not going to be- tra}7 my patient, but I will make a bargain with you, which if you agree to, I will guarantee to cure you: and in such a way, as will save you 78 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. from any malicious remarks, of your lady friends, which a too sudden cure, would expose you to. If you will make an honest effort, to get out of bed right now, I will not breath a wrord, of those cases to your husband ! Now try." Lady. "Oh ! I cannot, I am sure I cannot." Doctor. "You must try—come now, make one effort. You cannot deceive me you know. Do try now." Lady. "I cannot do it, I am trying as hard as I can, and I assure you I cannot." Doctor. " You must! If you do not, I will tell your husband, my real opinion, and then see what will come of it. But if you do, no one will ever know from me, the means bv which you were cured. Come now, no non- sense ! Draw up your leg ! Quick !!! " Lady. "I hate doctors, they are brutes! My other doctors, did not behave so—there! Will that suit you?" And with that, she drew up her knee, with a jerk, under the bed clothes. Doctor. "Now straighten your leg again. That will do. Are you satisfied now, that I can make you get up ?" Lady. " You horrid man, yes." Doctor. " Take this prescription, and begin HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 79 to use your leg, a little every day, so that no one will suspect a too sudden cure, and I will keep your secret. Are we friends now ?" Lady. " You have given me new life. After all I suffered from other doctors,—why did they not know it was my mind, and not my body that was affected?" And in a few days, she was up, and around. Miraculous Cure by the Pope.—The follow- ing is published in the Courier de Bruselles, as an authenticated account, of a miraculous cure, effected by His Holiness Pope Pius IX. A religieuse, of the order of the Sacred Heart, the Rev. Mother Julia N., daughter of one of the most distinguished diplomats of Belgium, after a violent hysterical attack, had her right hand so completely paralyzed, that it had to be band- aged to boards for support. In vain, had medical men prescribed change of air. At Vienna, whither she first betook herself, after- wards at Rome, where she arrived in Septem- ber, the disease assumed, even a more aggrava- ted character. The sufferer nevertheless, cher- ished a secret hope, that she would be cured, and through her being at Rome, if she could see the Holy Father. She obtained an audi- 80 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. ence upon the 19th of October, 1875. The Holy Father, at first surprised at the request for a cure, that had been made to him, and wishing perhaps, to try the faith of the invalid, said to her: " My daughter, I have not the gift of miracles," but immediately added, "Put your trust in God, for nothing is impos- sible to His Mercy." However the religious ladies, and especially the niece, of the Holy Father, besought him, that he him- self, would deign to commend to God, and bless her. The Pope became for an instant,col- lected in prayer. His hands joined,and his eyes raised to heaven ; then addressing' the invalid, said:" My daughter, have faith : that faith which moves mountains." He several times repeated the same words to her, and having asked her name, took occasion from it, to insist anew upon faith. "St. Julia," he said, "gave her life for Jesus Christ, and she proved by her mar- tyrdom, how ardent was her faith." Having taken the ring of the religious profession, which the invalid wore upon her left hand, the Holy Father blessed it, and made her place it upon the right hand. " At that moment," the Rev. Mother Julia asserts, " I felt life return to the paralyzed limb, and the blood resumed its HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 81 circulation, throughout the whole arm." (!) The Pope then made her make the sign of the cross, but as instinctively, and by force of habit, she was about to make it, with her left hand. "No! not like that," said the Pope; "the sign of the cross, must be made with the right hand, the Catholic sign of the cross," and in fact the Rev. Mother Julia, was able to sign herself with her right hand, although still hesi- tatingly, and with some difficulty. At the bidding of the Pope, she made a second sign of the cross, and this time without the smallest hesitation, and in a most perfect manner. She was cured ! on her return to the Villa Sante, she was able to write, on the same day, a long letter of thanks, to the Holy Father, and slie wrote it with the hand, that had been so long paralyzed. Her cure was complete ! The Queen of Hysterics ! A Concatenation of Diseases !! A Model Hysteric ! ! ! Reported by Dr. Ellis, from notes taken by the patient herself, during thirty years. Miss A. B. unmarried, in easy circumstances, in the winter of 1830, first became a victim of hysteria, which, true to its Protean character, assumed many, and varied aspects, and for over 82 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. thirty years, never wholly left her. She was at that time, an excitable, impressionable girl of eighteen. She had hysterical cough, and pain in the side, and in those days of blood- letting, was treated in the manner, customary at that period by leeches, and blisters. It must be remembered that in those days (sixty years ago), this disease was not understood, as it is to-day, and the treatment, was not such as would have been adopted, by the same cele- brated practitioners, at a later date,when expe- rience had thrown more light, upon this obscure class of disease. The following spring, she was taken to Dr. Abercrombie, who advised leeches, again fol- lowed by blisters, and this was repeated for several months. The purely hysterical element in her case, at this time, not having been rec- ognized. In 1831, she became the patient of Sir Henry Marsh, of Dublin, who recognized the real type of her disease, prescribed shower baths, and fresh air, under which she improved. Next winter, the pain again became severe, and she returned to Dublin, but this time she was cupped on the side, and now a new symptom made its appearance, in the form of paralysis of HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 83 t/ie bladder. This was at first, overcome by injec- tions of turpentine, castor oil, and hot hip baths. But after a while, this treatment lost its effect, and she was allowed to remain thirty, and forty hours, with the bladder unrelieved ; when Sir Phillip Campton, saw her, and directed the catheter to be used, twice a day. This however, aggravated her disease, and large doses of laudanum, were resorted to. She was now blistered, upon both sides of the spine—issues were opened, down her spine, and kept dis- charging for a considerable time, and this pa- tient dragged on a painful life, and submitted to all this torture till 1834; although she had no real disease, to prevent her exercising her bladder, if she would only have made an honest effort, to do so, as shown by the sudden disappearance, of the trouble at this time. Ana now came on the hysterical cough, again, so distressing (to listen to), and again she was blistered. She had now fully learned the sooth- ing influence of morphine, and she was supplied with as much as she desired. The cough left her, and the disease returned to the bladder, and after a while yielded to injections, of starch and opium, when an attack of diarrhoea, came on, and left her entirely free of all her troubles, 84 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. till 1836, when the bladder became as helpless as ever, and the old treatment of leeches, blis- ters, and issues was repeated, till her back pre- sented a hideous spectacle, of seams, and white cicatrices. Suddenly the. bladder acted, as if nothing had ever been the matter with that organ, when she got into a new trouble, as she says: " About this time, I got a trick of falling down, when I attempted to walk, but by keep- ing quiet, came all right again." The hysterical paralysis, this time seizing the voluntary mus- cles. Headaches and confusion of intellect, now occurred, and offered a new, and tempting opportunity, for vigorous treatment, and she was dry cupped, again, and again, on the nape of the neck, followed by a seton, and her dose of laudanum was now one hundred and twTenty drops! She became the patient, of an eminent phy- sician in Leamington, and instead of her reten- tion of urine, as of old, there was now inconti- nence of urine with a constant flow of pale urine, interrupted occasionally by attacks of retention, and that again changing to diarrha:a, and suddenly leaving her free again, from hysterical symptoms. HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 85 In 1848, the bladder again gave her trouble, and, without any warning, a severe attack of lock-jaw, ensued. The first invasion of this new symptom, was short, only lasting an hour or two. Soon, however, it established its claim, to a place in the chain, of her morbid tendencies. The jaws would remain closed for a day, then for days, und at last even months! with, however, intervals of respite. In one of those respites, the eyes suddenly closed, and remained closed for tioo whole months, resisting all treatment, any means to open them! During this period, the hysteric irritability being apparently, at its height, she lost the use of every limb, and was perfectly helpless! The shock of being roughly carried down-stairs, into a new house, broke the spell! and in a tempest of hysterical passion, she opened her eves! and they only occasionally, closed again for short intervals. The lock-jaw, however, wrould not let her go, and one long fit, lasted nine months, termina- ting as usual, suddenly. AH* this time, she was taking opium in large quantities ; sometimes she appeared comatose (insensible), for eighteen hours, and then woke up, with an open mouth. If the lock-jaw, had lasted for days, it was 86 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. always at an end, immediately, on the occur- rence of a fit of hysterics. It also yielded, as might be supposed, to the sudden application, of scalding water, to the cheek! Down to 1850 (seven years), the state of this lady, remained with little alteration. The lock- jaw, and urinary trouble, only occasionally abat- ing, never wholly leaving her. In that year, the lock-jaw, disappeared like the baseless fabric of a dream, and was replaced by wryneck, and violent spasms of the muscles on one side of her face, distorting her countenance, in a most horrible manner. This new malady held its ground for a long time, and the inhalation of chloroform, became a necessity, to enable her to take her meals. The spasms, then vanished, for two months. At this time she was in the habit of using, about one pound of chloroform, in the week. Thus the case continued down to 1855 (five years), to the dismay of all who attended her. And now, another new phase came on, in the shape of shaking pedsy. This was the autumn of 1858. This symptom vanished as suddenly, as the lock-jaw ; and the chloroform and opium were discontinued, wiien she grew fat. In April, 1859, the old symptoms jumped back, and opium was again resorted to. Under HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 87 the application of severe galvanic shocks, the symptoms all yielded. One morning she would appear, before her medical attendant, with '■ wryneck," when a galvanic shock, would put an end to it, as if by magic. Again she would come, with her face drawn up, and distorted, in a horrible manner, and again the galvanic battery, would be brought into play. Till at last, after much patience, on the part of her last medical attendant, and a determination to con- quer, brought the case to a close, in I860; the time this report was written, 18G2, without any return, and as she has now passed, the climac- teric period of life, and after (or in spite of) thirty years' treatment, she may be considered permanently cured. During all that time, and with all those varied symptoms, her bodily organs, were found by repeated examinations to be in a perfectly healthy condition—with one solitary exception, that she had a "polypus of the womb,"' but that had been removed years before, with only temporary effect upon her troubles. Lock Jaw—Moral Suasion Case.—The follow- ing is a case, illustrating, the effect of moral suasion, in this disease, and is thus described, by the physician attending it. 88 hysterical women. A young lady engaged to be married, was seized with lock-jaw, for which she underwent^ a variety of treatment, by medicine, and was taken from watering place, to watering place, without benefit—her general health continued good. This had gone on, for many months, when I was sent for in great haste, one winter evening. As her home was twenty miles off, I did not arrive till late; the weather was severe, and the ground covered with snow. On enter- ing her room, I found her in bed, the curtains of which, were all drawn up; the door wras kept open, and not the door only, but a large window also, severely cold as the night was. Her friends, and attendants were watching her, with deep anxiety, and one was engaged, in continually fanning her face. As I drew near, she was seized with strong convulsions: these gradually subsided, and as I sat by the bedside, I observed her, carefully adjusting her disordered hair, with one hand. I thought, " the convulsions have not rendered you unconscious, to your personal appearance," and resolved upon my plan of treatment. Doctor. " What is all this fanning for?" Attendant. " She is threatened with suffoca- tion, as soon as we leave off. By relays, we HYSTERICAL wriMEN. 89 have kept it up for two bet'-* and nights, with scarcely an intermission." Doctor. " Please take away that fan at once." I turned to the open window, and said, " We shall all be starved, if that window is kept open—let it be closed." Attendant. " She would die for want of air, if it were shut." Doctor. " I should be sorry for that, but the window must be shut." No sooner was this done, than a violent convulsion ensued, and three persons rushed to hold her. " Why, what on earth, makes you all rush over, to hold her down?" Attendant. " She would throw herself out of bed, if we did not hold her." Doctor. " Well, if she did she might break her arm, from this high bed. But she must take the consequences ; she shall not be held ! " And I sent the attendant, to another part of the room. The convulsions soon ceased, and as I was the only one near, she whispered : " You are treating me as a child." I replied, also in a whisper, " Yes, and shall continue to do so, as long as you act like a child. You know, you can prevent all this, if you choose." She was silent. In the meantime, the friends, 90 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. were grouped arounaj. the fire, watching her, and she them. To prevent this, I had the cur- tains let down, closely around the bed, and so ended my moral suasion. In a couple of hours she was quiet. I only allowed her maid, to remain in the room, and she fell asleep, without one particle of medicine, and did not wake till morning, when she could partially open her mouth, and in a few more days, there was no more lock-jaw/ it never returned, and she made a happy marriage. An Hysterical Panic.—A regular hysterical panic occurred in Manchester, in September, 1862. One day in a sewing school-room, one of the girls suddenly went off, in an epileptic fit, and almost immediately, another girl was attacked, with hysterics, and then another, and another, until quite a panic prevailed. Altogether nineteen, of the girls were thus affected, in less than an hour. The epidemic was arrested, promptly, by judicious, but lavish, and sudden, application of a few pails, of cold water. Another Hysterical Freak—The fascina- tion, wiiich the idea of depth, exercises over hysterical women. 91 some minds, has often been observed, and some persons by no means generally nervous, shun great heights, as they are conscious of a desire, to leap into space. A girl under treat- ment for hysteria, at Kings College Hospital, was coming down the stairs, that wind around, the lofty walls, of the vestibule. When she had reached, the level of the surgical wards, she sprang over the banisters, and was seen descending, like a parachute : for she landed on her feet, with garments expanded, and with the exception of a slight sprain of her ankle, was uninjured by her jump, of over twenty feet. She screamed, when she made the jump. but declared, " she now forgets all about it," when the house surgeon, addressed her. Distressing Form of Hysteria.—A young lady, delicate, educated, and refined, in the highest degree, after severe exhaustion from nursing a sick friend, became possessed with an irresistible propensity; to utter whatever thoughts, came uppermost in her mind, regard- less of time, place, or propriety, sometimes silly, and personal remarks, which at another time, she would not think of using. At other times she gives utterance to observations, so erotic, and 92 HYSTERICAL women. obscene, that they are unfit for repetition here. She is conscious of her infirmity, and keeps herself in almost absolute privacy. Yet her self-control is so much in abeyance, that she feels unable to resist, the morbid influence. The wonder of the case is, how7 a refined young woman, who never has had the opportunity, of hearing obscenity, or lascivious language in any form, could out of her own "inner conscious- ness " (as the Rev. Ward Beecher would say), familiarize herself with, and give expression (with extraordinary volubility), to erotic, and libidinous expressions, only to be heard, in the lowest class of bagnios. And this is not an uncommon case, in a more modified degree, with some hysterical patients. Hairpin in the Bladder.—A young woman, age 18, suffering, from hysteria, had been under treatment for some time, for severe pain in the lower part of the abdomen, especially after emptying the bladder. No treatment seemed to afford relief, except opiates, and those only tern. porarily. When she came under my care, she presented an appearance of delicate health, with muddy complexion, puffiness under the eyes, pimples on her face, constant sighing, and adis HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 93 inclination to look one straight in the face, a pre- v ricating manner, and an apparent determina- tion not to speak the truth, in reply to my inqui- ries. Her tout ensemble, pointed to her being, one of those unhappy creatures, who are slaves to a secret vice. I procured a sample of her urine for examination, some of which I poured by accident, into a glass that had some tannic acid in it, when to my great astonishment, it imme- diately turned to ink! Of course there could be no question the urine contained iron. But where did the iron come from ? or how did it get there ? I had known of cases of slate pen- cils, and pipe stems being used by girls, to allay irritation, and slipping into the bladder, and after much consideration, concluded this girl must have used a hairpin, for that purpose, which having slipped into the bladder, the sharp points would cause all the trouble. I taxed her privately with this charge, but as I expected, she denied it, with great indignation, asseverating that my suspicions were ground- less, and even as if in consciousness of inno- cency, offered to submit to an examination^ to prove her purity. However that offer was soon withdrawn, when she found I was about to avail myself of it! Accordingly I expressed 94 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. my opinion to the mother, but the storm of invective, that she poured out, upon my devoted head, for breathing such a foul, horrid suspicion, on her poor innocent child, was some- thing terrific. However when I showed her, how the water was turned to ink, and explained nothing but the presence of iron, would account for it, or produce that effect, chemistry and science, were too strong for her faith, and she consented that an examination should be made, still secretly believing, that I would prove myself mistaken. Having placed the girl under the influence of chloroform, I sat- isfied myself that there was a foreign body in the bladder, and it became a simple matter, to take hold of the bent end of the hairpin, and remove it, thus curing the disease, and satisfactorily proving its cause, at the same time. Even then the patient solemnly, and continuously, denied all knowledge, of how the hairpin got there! A Singular Case, is related by Dr. Graves, of Dublin. A young lady was sitting up in bed, sipping every few seconds, an extremely small portion of water, which she immediately swallowed, with considerable effort. She said, HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 95 she would be immediately choked, if she discon- tinued this perpetual sipping. And she referred, to an intolerable uneasiness at the root of her tongue, and in her throat, threatening imme- diate suffocation, the moment she ceased, to employ herself in swallowing, and so urgent was the feeling, that impelled her to this act, that the moment an attempt was made, to take the cup from her hand, she began to scream with agony, was agitated with convulsions, and to all appearance, seemed in the last agonies. This scene, went on for some hours. She had had a number of leeches, applied to her throat, the blood from which was trickling down her neck. Dr. Graves, upon a most careful exam- ination, detected nothing wrong with her larynx, nor any redness, or swelling, of tongue. or throat; but as she was subject to hysterics, he readily determined the nature of her illness, which he treated accordingly, and these pecu- liar symptoms vanished. Paralysis.—Mary B----, a governess, was admitted into Guy's Hospital, London; she stated that two years, and three months before, the little finger of her left hand, became numb, and stiff, and gradually the whole hand, obtained 96 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. the same condition ; at the end of three months, her whole arm became powerless. Several months later her left leg, became similarly affected, and a few months later still, the lid of her left eye drooped, and closed, so that she could not open it. One month before, her admission to the hospital, she had a hysterical attack, and remained insensible for two hours, and for three weeks afterward, she was unable to open her mouth. On admission, she was obliged to be put to bed, as she was unable to help herself. Her arm dropped lifeless, when raised. Left eyelid drooped, and closed ; but the pupils of both eyes were normal, and she declared herself unable to open her mouth, more than half an inch, yet she was plump in figure, and had no appearance of ill-health. The circumstances of the case showed, that in spite of all the symptoms of paralysis, there was no real loss of power, being merely a vol- untary abandonment, of her natural powers; in fact, a hysterical simulation, of a real dis- ease ; consequently moral treidment. without medicine, was relied upon and in a few weeks, she left the hospital, perfectly sound in all her faculties, after having been confined, for nearly two years, to her bed. When the appliances HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 97 of hospital treatment, wrere used for compelling her, to make a serious effort, to exercise her faculties, and from which she had no means of escape, by the interference of sympathetic, and injudicious friends, she soon found the ability, which in reality she had never lost. And here it may not be amiss, to compare the great sue cess attending the treatment, of cases of this kind in hospital practice, and the rapid cures effected, under such circumstances, with the tediousness, and ill-success, of physicians in similar cases, ift private practice. Let us take the case of a girl, who takes to her bed with ideal paralysis, in private life. She becomes the center, of a world, of her own creating. Is she not the interesting invalid ? Surrounded with sympathizing friends; has the watchful, and tender care, of a nurse ; the consolations, of the clerical visitor (for such patients, are generally outwardly pius, and delight in the role of suffering martyrs) ; and above all, she has the daily visits, of a sympa- thizing physician (for she will have no other). This is her " little game." The physician tries all varieties of treatment, without success. If he uses harsh measures, or fails to evince suffi- 98 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. cient sympathy, he is discharged as a brute, and a more agreeable, and worldly-wise one takes his place. Is it not patent, that the whole business is a drama, of the patient's own crea- ting, in which she is prima donna, star actress, and central figure—waited on, by nurse—at- tended, by physician—consoled, by parson, and pitied, and petted, by friends and relatives? In the hospital, however, all this is changed. No obsequious nurse, subject to her order, flies to do her bidding, but one experienced, firm, and trained to obey the orders of the physician only,—no time-serving physician, whose bread, and butter, depends upon the favor of his patient, and the duration of the attendance, conducts the treatment, but a man of science, and experience, identified with, the best interests of the institution, and determined to effect cures, as rapidly, and economically, as possible. No sympathizing, but injudicious friends, to in- terfere with the treatment. No wonder then, the result is very different. Were the physi- cians, in private practice, only honest enough, to refuse to tamper with the confidence, of fathers, and husbands, and say boldly, " This is only a case of ideal disease, and requires only moral treatment, without drugs," hysteria HY'STERICAL WOMEN. 99 would soon vanish from the list of diseases— but alas ! the physician's income, would di- minish proportionally! An example of this comes to my mind, where a young lady fancied herself paralyzed, and remained bed-ridden, for three years; was cupped, bled, blistered, and leeched, and took hogsheads full of physic, all without relief, when alas! her dear doctor died suddenly. Her father declared the expense was ruining him, and he would pay no more, doctor's bills! There was a scene, and tears flowed freely; but the stern parent was inexorable. There was nothing left for the unhappy patient, to do but—get well! And she did so!! without any more medicine!!! And yet, the physician in these cases, is rather to be sympathized with, in his very dif- ficult position, than harshly blamed. On the one hand, is his professional income — his bread and butter—the " ruffles and tuckers," of his wife, and children—and above all the appearance, so imperatively required to be kept up, by the artificial sham, and shoddy of the day. On the other hand, is that silly Mrs., or Miss so-and-so, that requires a little (or a lot of), sympathy, and fuss, made over her 100 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. —calls upon the doctor to do so, and is willing to give, both coin, and honied words, for the service, and more than that, will not be balked, of her desires, but will go from doctor, to doc- tor, till she finds one, ready, and willing, to prostitute his manhood, in catering to her whims, and fancies. Truly the temptation, to stretch one's conscience, is very strong. Still the object I have in view, and the truth, com- pel me to enlighten the public; for by enlight- enment on their part, this temptation may be, in a great measure, removed from the path, of the physician. Therefore blame not the phy- sician, when your own wife, sister, or daugh- ter, is the Delilah, that tempts him from the path of rectitude, to pander to her morbid fan- cies; but rather see to it, that you do your part, in preventing a stumbling-block, being thrown in another's way. As another example, of this morbid craving for sympathy in this class of patients, I men tion the case of a married woman, without children, in the habit of swallowing needles. She presented herself at Guy's Hospital, for treatment, and two needles were removed from her thigh, and one from her knee-joint, while HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 10] others were within easy reach, and ready for removal; but not receiving that amount of sympathy, at the hospital, that she required, she left with the remaining needles in place, to be attended, as she said, by some one who would take more interest in her case, than an unfeeling hospital surgeon. Dumb and Bedridden.—A young woman twenty-two, }Tears of age, was given up as in. curable,by several physicians. One year before, she took to her bed, and six months afterward she became dumb, and carried on all corre- spondence, by means of nods, and a slate, and pencil. Eat heartily, looked well, and seem- ingly was perfectly contented, amusing herself with embroidery, and needle-work. The last physician called in to see her, being one of Guy's Hospital, surgeons, saw through the case, and promised to cure her, if she would consent, to come into the hospital, but not otherwise. She refused to do so, however. But in a few days, afterward, her mother called upon the doctor, and requested him to take her into the hospital, upon trial. She arrived with all the parapher. nalia—her slate and pencil, her embroidery, and needle-work, and commenced the old 102 HVS1ERICAL WOMEN. game. The doctor, talked to her seriously, in presence of the clerk, when she went off into a fit of hysterics. However, the doctor, " would not scare worth a cent," but wTent on talking, as if she were not in a fit at all, but perfectly sensible ; telling her, that if he did not observe some improvement, every day, in her condition, he would denounce her, before the class of medical students, as an imposter. Finding there was no help for it, she gradually assumed control of her faculties, without one atom of medicine. Yet for one whole year, she con- sented to remain in bed helpless, and for six months, she seemed to be dumb. During all this time, submitting to be tortured, with the usual severe remedies adopted, for the treat- ment of spinal complaints. And for what? Merely the pleasure of illiciting sympathy from friends, and relations. As soon as she found, there was danger of being exposed, as a fraud, to the whole band, of reckless medical students, she found means to resume the use of her facul- ties, of her own free will, without the adven- titious aid of medicine ! This is no uncommon case. I will, however, only quote, one other of this class. HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 103 Paralysis, and Dumbness.—A young woman, age twenty-eight, suddenly lost the use of her limbs, four years before, and remained in bed ever since. After five months, she lost the use of her hands, and the power of retaining her urine; these symptoms soon got better. Ten months, before admission to the hospital, she lost her voice, and speech. The whole resources of the pharmacopoeia, were exhausted in vain ; she was removed to the hospital, with her slate and pencil, her needles, and embroidery ; was visited, by the benevolent ladies of the district; had the clergyman's portrait, hanging at the side of her bed ; had religious books, and papers, brought to her; and in fact went through the role, of an interesting, religious, afflicted, mar- tyr; only never losing flesh, or exhibiting any sign of ill-health. When admitted to the hos- pital, all this was changed ; she was informed the drama, was "played out"—the slate le- moved—the portrait turned to the wall—the district visitors, interdicted. Under those cir- cumstances, there was nothing worth living for left,—the fountains of'sympathy, dried up— physic, thrown to the dogs—the last resource left, to the unhappy patient was, to get well, and leave forever, those unsympathetic walls; 104 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. which she lost no time in doing ! leaving in a few weeks, perfectly cured, without medicine, after being bed-ridden for four years, and dumb, for ten months! Ptosis—Inability to Open the Eye.—A ser- vant girl age sixteeen, for six months, was unable to open her left eye. The surgeon who attended her, tried all available means, with- out success, and told her mistress, that he feared the brain was affected. Her mistress became alarmed, and sent her to the city, for further treatment. On examination of the eye, no disease was discoverable, and the case was set down as one of the " vagaries of listeria." The correctness of this view was established, by the discovery, that upon holding the lid of the affected eye open, and at the same time, attracting the attention of the patient, to the good eye, and while thus engaged, removing the finger from the affected eyelid, it still remained open, till the patient, recollecting herself, suddenly, closed it, thus exposing the imposition. Of course no further treatment was necessary. Hysterical, Imposition.—The patient,a youno- lady, unmarried, was in the habit of producing HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 105 pieces of bone, and skin, by vomiting, resem- bling the bones in the tail of an eel. Day after day, such were exhibited, chiefly in the evening, but always, in the presence of a number of attendants, and spectators. Violent and repeated efforts at vomiting, and horrible sen- sations of strangulation were described. The hand would be thrust into her mouth, and down her throat, and large pieces of skin, and flesh taken out, ending in an exaggerated hys- terical fit, and seeming unconsciousness. The climax, proved the nature of the imposition, by producing portions of the skeleton of a turtle, and which proved to come from her stomach. It is well known, that many persons have the powder of vomiting, at pleasure, and it is not surprising, that hysterical women will endeavor, to elicit sympathy from spectators, by the ex- ercise of this faculty, when there are well authenticated cases upon record, of impositions far more vile, disgusting, and senseless than the above. Stiff Knee.—This was the case of a young woman, who asserted, that she was utterly unable to bend her knee, and after months of treatment, by blisters, etc., she still asserted 106 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. the disease to be a reality, until she came under my treatment, when the administration of chloroform exposed the deception. And it was amusing to witness, the disgust, and disap- pointment, of the patient, when she woke from the chloroform, and found the limb, in a differ- ent position, from that in which she usually kept it! Dumb two Years.—A case is described by Dr. Budd, of a girl who had not spoken for two years, who was instantly cured by the application, of a few pitchers of ice-cold water ! Refusing to Take Food.—The same author, reports a case of an hysterical female, refusing continuously to take food, in which an immedi- ate cure was effected, by the use of the " cold douche," with a threat of its repetition! Inserting Needles Under the Skin.—An unmarried lady, age thirty-six, had first four, needles extracted; on the third day ten, more needles; after a few days twelve, needles. In all fifty, needles more removed, some of them more resembling pins, with their heads cut off. When showrn that each pin, left a small white hysterical women. 107 scar, at the spot where inserted, she confessed the fraud. Although previously, she had over, and over again, most solemnly asserted, that the needles had all been swallowed, years before, by accident. Inability to Swallow.—Dr. Elliottson, re- ports a case of a young woman, who was unable to swallow anything but fluids, the smallest piece of solid food, causing apparently intense suffering. After long continued, and varied treatment, without effect, she came under his care, and upon examination there was found, no appearance of real disease in the part, and upon finding that a full size " bougie," could be passed without difficulty, into the stomach, her disordered imagination, was satis- fied, and the disease left, without further treat- ment. Wakefulness, is not at all an uncommon symptom, in hysterical women. One case I have known, where no sleep was obtained for fourteen, consecutive days, and nights, although during that time, the most powerful opiates were administered, in "heroic" doses, without the desired result. Many of those hysterical 108 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. women, sleep so lightly (or perhaps like the weasel, with their eyes open), that one can hardly ever catch them asleep; the stealthy tread of a cat, across the floor, being sufficient to wake them. Hiccough, has been known to continue for very protracted periods, and one case is re- ported from South America, where it resisted all medical treatment, for fourteen months, and then suddenly vanished, as it came. Stigmata, is a term given by the Roman Catholic Church, in early days, to cases where drops of blood, were seen to exude, through the skin of the hands, and feet, and were supposed to be a miraculous manifestation, of Divine favor, representing the blood, that flowed from the nail wounds, of our blessed Savior, when on the Cross, in Calvary. Several cases of this curious vagary of hysteria, are upon record, such as St. Frances, of Assisi, in A. D. 1224; Veronica Giuliana, in 1694, and St. Catherine, records of which will be found, in " The Lives of the Saints," a well known work, sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church. I will, however, only allude to one case, oc- curring within my own memory; a case which, HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 109 for a while, was a perfect Godsend, to the daily press, of San Francisco. California, where it occurred. The case was familiarly know, as the " Lizzie Gannon, Miracle." This Lizzie Gannon, was an hysterical young lady, and a devout Roman Catholic. She had periodically, drops of florid blood, exude from the backs, of her hands, and feet, more especially upon cer- tain religious festivals, and vigils. At first, the news spread among the leading members of that community, and was spoken of, with bated breath, as a matter of the greatest sanctity. Formerly, those cases were looked upon, by the ignorant as miraculous, and in the dark ages, when Rome ruled more triumphant than now, none dared to question, their cause, or genuine- ness. But now-a-days things are vastly differ- ent, and the ubiquitous newspaper reporter, and interviewer, smelt an item from afar! and with the untiring perseverence of a sleuth-hound, secured the whole details of the case. Lizzie, was interviewed, by half a dozen skilled re- porters. The ladies of the denomination, were severally interviewed : their names given in full, and their statements endorsing " Lizzie," as wit- nesses of the miracle, duly chronicled. Some of those leading ladies of the church, employed a 110 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. physician, to examine the case. He was inter- viewed, and his statements, that the case was genuine, and extraordinary, was duly heralded. As the daily papers were full of the subject,— Chronicle, Call,- and Alia, Bulletin, and Post, etc., and as neither archbishop, nor priest, were free from the visits of the irresistible inter- viewers, it became necessary for the church authorities, to declare themselves upon the sub- ject, and after due investigation, they declared the case to be a genuine one of stigmata, and to be accepted by all good Catholics, as true. When at last a prying, and unbelieving doctor, obtained a chance of investigating " Lizzie," and found the supposed bloody sweat, arose from minute punctures, cleverly concealed. This doctor, being more of a poker player, than a fanatic, tried a game of " bluff," and as Liz- zie, could not " see it," she weakened, and " threw down her hand," and acknowledged the fraud! Next morning, when the newspapers were published, and the astounding intelligence, of the discovery of the f raud,was spread over the city, great was the sensation created, and the interesting " Lizzie," was consigned to utter oblivion, in secula seculorum! The devout Lizzie, was not, however, severely inconven- HYSTERICAL WOMEN. Ill ienced by the anathemas, and shortly after joined a Jewish synagogue, and married a thriving young Israelite. I will say right here, that I do not for one moment, infer, that the church authorities, were parties to the fraud. Doubtless they made as careful, an investiga- tion of the facts before them, as might be ex- pected from men of learning, in their authorita- tive position, before endorsing the case. It goes to show, however, the inimitable skill, with which an hysterical girl, could sustain a decep- tion, for the sake of gratifying a morbid desire for notoriety, and sympathy, so as to deceive friends, and relatives, and strangers, prelates, priests, and doctors, which latter especially, from their experience of human nature, are not likely to be readily deceived, by clumsily con- cocted evidence. Note.—The above case is given for the pur- pose, of illustrating the disposition, to carry out silly frauds, evinced by hysterical women, and not for the purpose, of discussing the sub- ject of stigmata. After completing my MS. for the printer, as above, I mentioned the mat- ter, to a priest of the Roman Catholic Church, who claimed to be personally acquainted with 112 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. the facts. He made the following correction, which I give in his own words: "Archbishop Allemanv, always doubted the genuineness of the case, from the beginning, and when the matter gained notoriety, through the efforts of the newspaper reporters, he consulted with Bishop O'Connor, of Marysville, and appointed three priests, to investigate, and report upon the case. One of these was Father Gallagher, the parish priest, and it was he that first discov- ered the fraud ; consequently the church author- ities, never officially endorsed the case." In this connection I may mention, that while dis- cussing the general subject of stigmata, with my clerical friend, and admitting that the "Lizzie Gannon," case was a fraud, he informed me of what he claimed, to be a genuine case of stigmata, in modern times, which occurred in 1868. and has withstood all the tests of advanced science, and is known in Europe, as the case of " Louise Lateau, in Bois <7' LLaine, Province of LLainaut, Belgium" the particulars of which, the curious may investi- gate for themselves. A "Heautontimeroumenos, " or Self Tor- mentor.—I remember in this connection, a case HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 113 of hysterical vagary, where a married lady, mystified her own husband, and the whole detective police force, of the city of Sydney, New South Wales, for months, by writing threatening letters to herself, and then calling in the aid of the detective police, to discover the writer! The matter created the most intense excitement, throughout the length, and breadth of the colony : that a respectable lady, should be persecuted, and tormented from day to day, by the reception through the post-office, and other channels, of these threatening letters, while the police were powerless, to detect the author. The post-office was watched. The letter-boxes watched. The lady was watched, and her husband was watched, and the detec- tives watching, were watched, for months without satisfactory results; so amazingly cleverly was the deception sustained. Until at last, previous success had (as it often does in such cases), tempted her to overdo her part, in some trivial detail, which the keen, and oft-baffled detectives, were not slow to avail themselves of, and thus gained a clue, to unravel the mystery, which they eventually succeeded in doing most fully, and satisfactorily proving, that she alone, was her own tormentor ! 114 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. A few cases only like those above narrated, come before the public, and are soon forgotten, as a nine days wonder, but hundreds of minor cases, are daily occurring to the medical pro- fession, which are either suspected, and winked at, for obvious reasons by physicians attending, or the physician is totally deceived, and im- posed upon. While those patients are highly excitable, supersensitive, and impressionable, wonderful cures are effected by quacks, and charlatans. As it always creates notoriety, for an unhappy sufferer, and invalid, to have undergone unsuccessful treatment, from several well known, regular pl^sicians, and then be suddenly cured, by the treatment of some ignorant, and blatant quack, who can hardly read or write. This is going on all the time. One generation of fools, after another, submit to the same impositions, and doubtless will continue to do so, till the soon coming end, when people are given over to strong delusions, and to believe a lie. It would almost seem, the more we advance in so-called civilization, and boasted enlightenment, the more susceptible to imposition, are the general public, especially hysterical women, and their friends. In this connection, it may not be amiss to refer to, HYSTERICAL WTOMEN. 115 Johanna Southcott, born in 1750, who reached the height of her hysterical vagaries, between 1790, and 1800; her delusion being traceable to hysteria, arising from ovarian disease, the history of whose career, as given by Barnum, in his book entitled "Humbugs," is amusing, and instructive reading. Tape-worm.—Mrs. W----, had for some twelve, or fourteen, years complained of having a tape-worm. This tapeworm was different from everybody else's tapeworm! She had been under treatment for it, by a number of physicians, who could not get it away. Her sufferings were described, in exaggerated lan- guage, as unbearable at times, yet she did not loose flesh, or show any symptoms, of constitu- tional derangement. Being a bright, and very intelligent woman, she became an object of much commiseration, in her circle of friends. I was told of the case, by one of her friends, as a curiosity in medical experience, and that if I could remove that worm, "it would be a great feather in my cap." I told her friend that I had never failed yet in removing a tape-worm, when I knew it existed, and could not see how other doctors, could fail upon such a simple 116 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. matter. " Oh! but it is a different sort of worm, from other tape-worms. Doctor-so-and- so, said it was an Egyptian worm." "Well, send her along, and I will investigate the case, and if there is a worm there I will remove it, if I have to jump down her throat, to get a hold of it! " In due time she came to my office, and gave me a long, and graphic history, of her troubles—her tape-worm—her doctors, and their medicine; how she had taken turpen- tine, and kousso, malefern, and pomegranate root bark, and pumpkin seed, and I do not know what all, besides—all without the slightest effect, except upon one occasion, when one of her doctors, took fourteen feet, of a tape-worm, from her, after bringing her nearly to death's door; that now, she had lost all hope, of ever being cured, but was willing to try, what I could do for her. I agreed to prepare some medicine for her, that would compel the worm to come. She was very anxious to know, what I was going to give her, but that I positively, refused to tell her, and to make sure there should be no impositions, I administered the medicine myself, and saw her take it all. After close watching, and energetic treatment, no tape-worm appeared—no, not a single segment; HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 117 consequently only receiving negative results, I began to appreciate the nature of the case: as the saying is, " to smell a mice " Upon inquiry of several, of her former medical attendants, all told the same story, that they had treated her for tape-wrorm, but not one of them, ever saw the smallest fragment. And the physician, who was said to have removed the fourteen feet, admitted, that finding the tape-worm idea a delusion, he had played a trick on her, show- ing her a tape-worm, he had obtained from an- other patient, and convincing her it came from her! In fact the tape-worm, instead of being in her stomach, as she supposed, was upon her brain! But to tell her so gave mortal offense. In this case, like all such, we have the exagger- ated description of suffering, endured : which if true would have worn the patient to a skeleton, and yet she presented no appearance of ill- health ; had a good appetite, good spirits, except when complaining of her trouble; all her bod- ily functions normal, only combined with hys- terical characteristics. I may add that for four, or five, years after the supposed removal of the fourteen, feet of tape-worm, she had no return of her symptom. At the end of that time, however, probably having her attention 118 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. turned to the subject, and thinking it was about time, for a new growth to have taken place, her symptoms returned as aggravated as ever, upon the principle of "auto-suggestion." After a connection with the medical pro- fession, over forty years, I can look back, and safely assert, that more than one-half the prac- tice of physicians, with female patients, consists of cases of hysteria, and its mimic, and noth- ing else, doubtless taking some of its protean forms. It is not long ago, that a sample of this class of cases, occurred to me, and as it embraces some crying evils of modern society, I will give it as follows: I was sent for in all haste, to visit a lady, who was suffering agonies(it is always "agonies," "tortures," "awful misery," "excruciating pain," etc.), from pain in her chest, or stomach, (she did not know exactly which). Again it is always pain, in some place, where its absence cannot be detected, and the physician has to relv, upon the patient's statements. A bruised reed truly, to trust to! The pain had been so severe, she could not await my arrival (al- though I only resided, a short distance from her HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 119 home), but was compelled to take some medi- cine, she had by her, which a former medical attendant had prescribed, but it had done her no good ; would I not give her something, to afford relief, right away? Thus far she seemed to be suffering intensely, from continuous pain. I began to inquire about her case, and symp- toms, when she launched into a long, and elaborate description, of her various troubles, totally forgetting in the interest of the subject, her present suffering, until the theme became exhausted, when an immediate return of the pain, took place as exaggerated as before. I told her I could not think of giving her any medicine, so soon after her taking a dose, the component parts of which, I Avas ignorant of; recommended her to have patience, and give the medicine she had just taken, a fair chance of relieving her, and I would call next morning, and if she was not better, I would take her case in hand. Upon my arrival next morning, I found her in the same condi- tion, and as there was nothing serious the matter, I gave her a mere " placebo," one of those medicines, that are intended to satisfy the patient's mind, without injuring the consti- tution, and allowing time, to obtain a full un- derstanding of the case. 120 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. It must be remembered, that this lady had been for two days, and nights, suffering, by her own account (?), "intolerable torture; " which, if true, would naturally have left her prostrated for a day,or two, more, after so severe an attack. But upon my calling next day, I found she had joined a picnic party! When next I saw her, she told me, that was a peculiarity of her case (the}7 ail have some "peculiarity," something different from everybody else,—something more, or less, out of the common); that as soon as the attack of pain left her, she was as well as ever, and able to join any fun or excitement. I told her I knew it, that it was generally the case with hysterical patients, that hysteria was all, that was the matter with her, and of no conse- quence whatever. And when her husband asked, what I thought of his wife's case, I told him plainly, there was nothing to be alarmed about, as it was only hysteria. Perhaps some of my readers may think, I did not feel very much sympathy for that patient, and I must acknowledge the fact. To explain the matter, however, I must enter a little more into detail, so that the reader may get at the " inner con- sciousness" of it, which I may do without any breachof confidence, as no names are given, and HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 121 she has since died of measles. This lady was of a peculiarly bright, and lively disposition; had a tendency to torpidity, of the liver; had five, or six, neglected children, and had become so demoralized, by the trouble inherent, to the proper performance of a mother's duties, that she, and her husband, had determined, to have no more family, and systematically adopted, some of those abominable, modern practices for that purpose, the knowledge of which, dis- gusted me with her. I will here digress, to make a few observa- ti&ns upon this subject, one which press, pulpit, and profession, seem afraid to handle, without the smoothest of gloves! in fear of offending the ears, or shocking the sensibilities, of whom^ Of men, and women—beasts! lost to every sense of morality, duty, religion, and purity ; who say by their acts: Thou God, hast created man, and woman, both male, and female, and commanded us, to increase, and multiply, and replenish the earth, but we are not, going to do it for you! We will enjoy, the lusts of the flesh, and the pride of life, but to raise children ! No, never, if we know ourselves ! Oh ! the vile abomination. Oh! the crying—the damnable sin of this generation! Truly, " there is a sin unto death " and is not this one? 122 HYSTERICAL AVOMEN. When I entered the medical profession over forty years ago, such practices were only known indefinitely as being done in Paris, and among the French, people. The Anglo-Saxon, race were opposed to such iniquity. Subse- quently the "speculum" was introduced into general medical practice, and Anglo-Saxon women were familiarized with its use. The womanly reserve of our mothers, became broken down in their daughters. Young un- married women visited physicians alone, and consulted them about matters, that in many cases, their own mothers had no knowledge of. Vile books upon marriage and kindred subjects, were freely advertised in the religious, and secular press, and Avere sent secretly, through the mails, to boys, and girls, young men, and maidens, and read, and gloated oATer, with avidity, by minds unformed, and given over to prurient imaginings, and it required but few years more, for such a generation to grow up, to whom abortion, became a familiar subject of conversation, and actual practice, and the vile, abominable, disgusting and damnable practices, of the French, to prevent the blessings of motherhood, became well known, and exercised, as Avell by lecherous husbands, as sensuous HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 123 wives; no wonder under such advances in the march of civilization!—Bless the mark!—The nervous system of our men, and women, become deranged, and result in an excess of hysterical and nervous affections. The men too did not escape the enervating influence. To them, however, I hope to devote, in the near future perhaps, another volume. Both ancient Greece, and ancient Rome, fell into decadence, from this very crime, and his- tory ever repeats itself. Let us take Avarning in time, and as Dr. Goodell, expresses the sub- ject so well, I Avill use his language upon this point: " Time was, wThen every prolific Roman matron, received a ci\ic reward. Then she would exhibit her children, as Cornelia, her twelve sons, and proudly say, ' These be my jewels.' Five hundred and twelve years elapsed from the foundation of Rome, before the first divorce Avas granted, and the divorcer, till his death, was pursued by the obliquy of his fellow-citizens. In those days, nothing could withstand the onset of the Roman Legion Then Rome, ruled the known Avorld. But in the time of Julias Caesar, celibacy, and childlessness. became more, and more common : the family institution fell. The Latin stock in Italy under- 124 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. went an alarming diminution. Divorces were now obtained upon the flimsiest grounds. Criminal abortion was practiced on the slight- est pretext; nay, indeed it Avas lauded as com- mendable domestic economy. Marcus Aurelius foresaAv the danger, and tried to stem the tide of corruption, but he was a pagan Avithout the help of the Christian's God, and he failed. So prevalent had this crime become in Juvenal's, day, that he leveled one of his most biting satires against it. In it he says that it Avas most commonly resorted to by Roman ladies, lest pregnancy should mar their beauty, or spoil their figure. They termed the unborn child, the shameful burden—indecens onus— and got rid of it, lest its growth should disfig- ure their skin Avith scars—ne rugis ventrum Lucina notaret. But national sins beget na- tional woes, and the Roman empire overrun by Northern hordes, perished for Avant of men. Once the family institution Avas deemed the palladium of Hellas. The contemporary of Plato, of Socrates, and of those heroes who fell at Thermopylae, prided themselves on the number of his sons, who could fight for his country, and boasted of the number of his daughters, who could hold the distaff. Then HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 125 Greece, for her superb heroism, and magnificent pluck, Avon the admiration of the world. But, —alas these buts! One century and a half before the Christian era, the serried ranks of the Macedonian phalanx, quailed before the Roman legion, and the Greek became a vassal. Why this dire disaster? Because Greece, spoiled by prosperity, and Avarped by vain philosophy, could not brook to haATe its clas- sic tastes, and aesthetic cults, interrupted by family cares, and family ties. Polybius, her own historian, writes that 'the downfall of Greece, was not owing to war, or to the plague, but mainly to a repugnance to marriage, and to a reluctance to rear large families, caused by an extraAragantly high standard of living.' Now what happened to Rome, what happened to Greece, may yet befall our own beloved country. It may die for want of men. The hour of need may come, when after great national calamities, after portentious reverses, the genius of this Republic, disordered by an imperial grief, like that of the Roman emperor, may catch the burden of his cry — ' Give me back, oh Varus! give me back my legions !'" And what is the plea offered, in excuse for these disgusting, and sinful practices ? " Oh ! we 126 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. cannot afford the expense, of rearing a family." Do you not know, or have you not learned by experience, poor simpletons, that for every dollar saATed, in not rearing a family, it will cost you ten—aye, one hundred, in suffering, misery, and doctor's bills? not to speak of, the moral degradation of character—the debasing taint of impurity, of thought and action, and the premeditated insult to Almight}7 God! Do you not know, that the woman who rears a large family (or all the children that it may please God, to bless her with), and wiio takes delight in her children, is blessed? The more she is troubled in rearing them, the more they are endeared to her, and the greater the blessings, that return to herself (for she feels a happiness in performing such labors of love). The practice of self-sacrifice in their behalf, brings its own blessings,and its own reward,both here, and hereafter. It beautifies, and elevates her character, and makes her more fit, to^ienter into the joy of her Lord; more meet, to Avear an everlasting crown of glory. Do you not know ? Such is the only true woman, of Avhom poets have sung, and to whom the best, the brightest, the purest men, of all ages, have ren- dered, and always will render, true love HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 127 homage, and devotion, such as never can be won, through the movements of woman's rights agitation. Such is the woman, whose children shall rise up, and call her blessed. Such a woman Avas my mother,—such a woman is my Avife—and I thank God, for so great a blessing, and ask no greater, or better possession in this Avorld. But look upon the other picture :—She has determined she is not going to haATe her figure spoiled! her, pleasures interfered Avith, by a " brat of a child "—her, expenses in dress cur- tailed, by the expenses of motherhood. Oh no! she is too smart for that! What is the result ? She adopts some of those vile, disgusting, modern practices. But alas! the Almighty, is more merciful to her than she deserves—gives her the opportunity, of a blessing; Avhich she in her impious pride, and vanity spurns. And she wakes up some morning to the fact, that she has become pregnant (for those practices are not always reliable)! Her next step is to consult her physician, who confirms her worst fears. To him she appeals, to relieve her from the im- pending trouble, debasing her womanhood, by the earnestness of her appeal! The physician, if 128 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. a respectable, and honorable man, declines, and warns her of the risk, and danger, and if a Christian, and God-fearing man, points out the sin, and crime, calling it by its proper name, murder! On the other hand, she may consult some of the—alas! too many,— physicians of elastic morals, who, for a consid- eration (if sufficiently large), will remove the obstruction^ or in plain English, will commit murder ! will risk the penitentiary, and their own soul's damnation, and lay the founda- tion for future suffering, unhappiness, and doctor's bills! In the first case, matters progress to a nat- ural conclusion, and a child is born, but with such feelings in her heart, no blessing accom- panies it. The true, self-sacrificing, mother's love, is not developed. She thinks too much of her own suffering, to welcome the little stranger, and the joy that a child is born, is hardly realized, beyond the physical relief afforded. Her milk flows, and she gives it suck, but the nipples are tender, and it gives her pain, she cannot—will not—endure it, and she weans it on the bottle—and God, help that poor miser- able child, thenceforward ! Or she may under better advice, continue to nurse it herself. But HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 129 in what a spirit? Bewailing her unhappy lot, and fully determined, at any risk (to body and soul), never to be caught in such a scrape again! Doubtless a kind of love, springs up for the off- spring of her own body, but very different, from the true mother's love—that cannot exist, in the presence of personal selfishness. And now she determines, to "train up" her child from the cradle. Poor innocent, that requires the Avarmth of a mother's soft breath (if she has such a thing, and not Tampioo stuffing only)! For its comfort, and well-being, she will not allow it to sleep with her. Oh, no! It will dis- turb her rest. It will give her a wet night- gown! And she, is not going to endure that! But why follow the case further? Every act of her life, is made subservient, to her own per- sonal gratification, and if through sickness, or other cause, she is compelled, to interrupt the course of her own pleasure, or comfort for the sake of the child, it is under protest, and with complaint, and discontent. Thus she grows more, and more selfish, hardened, and un- amiable, and in a short time becoming aged, and worn with self-inflicted Avorries, and annoy- ances. Instead of being blessed, and purified, and having her character, and appearance, both 130 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. beautified, and ennobled, by the very blessings, she scorns, and is too selfish to appreciate! This is no fancy sketch, for I have seen it over, and over again, and more, and more frequently, of late years, since materialism, spiritualism, infidelity, free love, and so-called woman's rights agitation, have become so rampant. Oh ! Dear woman, I have doctored you for over thirty, years. I have had your confidences, and ofttime confessions, that atou would not make to your own husbands, and yet I do not pretend, to begin, " to know it all," about the inner consciousness of Avoman's nature! But this I do know, and you know it too,—that throughout the whole animal kingdom, the sexes, have been created with distinctive features, for the sole purpose, of propagating their species: each, in their allotted part. And although, the human species, may, and are entitled to claim higher, and more aesthetic duties, and privileges, than the mere beasts of the field, vet the distinctive sexual organi- zation is the same, and given for the same pur- pose, and with the same command, " Increase and multiply, and replenish the earth ! " And neither can man, nor woman, transgress, ignore, HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 131 or defy, those fundamental laws of our being, without the entailment of sorrow, suffering, punishment, remorse, and shame. And right here, I will make another extract from Doctor Goodell's, address to the medical, and chirurgical faculty of Maryland, on " the dangers, and duty of the hour," an address so practical, and replete with important matter, that I am tempted to make a longer extract, than some might consider necessary, or ap- plicable, but as he expresses my views, so much better than I can do it myself, I will avail myself of his own striking, and expressive lan- guage : " * * * As a result, the chief skill of the milliner seems to be directed, toward conceal- ing the lack of organs, needful alike to beauty, and maternity, and the girl of to-day, becomes the barren Avife, or invalid mother, of to-mor- row. Thus far, I have sketched the school-girl of the day, from early childhood, up to sickly maidenhood. Released now from her school desk, this weary, Avorn-out, rest-needing, girl, launches into the dissipation of society. Within a year, it may be, she becomes engaged to some unwary youth, who, bewitched by her 132 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. face, and charmed by her intelligence, sees not, the frail body, in the butterfly down. He weds her to find, that she has brought him a doAver, of ill-health, and that she has dared to assume the task, and cares of a married life, with un- developed reproductive organs, and with a large outfit, of backaches, spine-aches, and head- aches. Unequal to the obligations of marriage, she at first tolerates them, then loathes them. Soon repugnancies merge into aATersion, and hate. The husband is driven to unfaithfulness, and finally the domestic drama too often ends in separation, or divorce. Should pregnancy ensue a big-headed child, and narroAV pelvis, endanger the life of both mother, and child Should the child survive, it is suckled by aliens. Cursed Avith a puny frame, and a too highly organized brain, it is like the cherubs of the old masters, all head and no body. But this is not all. * * * * This young girl, this hot- house plant, wilting underneath the double strain of Avifehood, and motherhood, remains ever after an invalid. * * * * " In a thoughtful article entitled, 'The Tran- sitional American Woman,' one of their sex says: ' Women do not care for their homes as they did, it is no longer the focus, of their en- HYSTERICAL AYOMEN. 133 deavors : nor is the mother, the voluntary nu- cleus, of the adult children. Home is not now the chief delight of the wife.' * * * * " The family idea, is indeed drifting into indi. vidualism. It is in danger of being lost, in intense personality. Time was, when woman felt, that the chief import of her life, Avas bound up in the home duties, and home cares. The fireside was the pivot, around which her past, her present, and her future revolved. Then she lived for others. Now she has weaned Iierself from the hearthstone, and her chief end is self. Pray, Avhat brought about these changes ? By the inATention of the sewing-machine; by the introduction of ready-made clothing, and by that damnable sin—the avoidance of offspring. Our Avomen are no longer compelled to stay at home. The home tether is broken. * * * " The unwillingness of our women to become mothers, the third and greatest danger of the hour, embraces two sins, which defile every class of society—sins, which like the plague of frogs, creep into our houses, our bedchambers, and our beds. I refer to criminal abortion, and the prevention of conception. They come from the daint}r dilletanteism, of our women, which shrinks from having its patrician pleas- 134 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. ures, disturbed by the cares of maternity. They come from fashion, from cowardice, from indo- lent wealth, and shiftless poA^erty. They come from too high a standard of living, Avhich creates many artificial Avants, and demands many expensive luxuries. * * * * " I am amazed, at the \ery low standard of morality, obtaining in the community on the sexual relations. So low indeed has it fallen, that I have knoAvn clergymen, committing those sins, in their own families, and physicians of repute, teacJiing their patients how to sin. To these detestable practices do L attribute, in a great measure, the general ill-health of our women. These flagrant sins, I hold accountable for much, in fact for most, of the wretchedness, and misery of the land. Why is it, asks a layman, that in the regions of the United States, other- wise most highly favored, nearly every wo- man under forty is sick or sickly ? Why is it, 1 ask, that the Avaiting rooms of our g}Tne- cologists, are crowded with so many queru- lous, and complaining women? women with backaches, and headaches, and spineaches; women either Avithout sensual feeling, or too weak to indulge in it ? Why do so many women break down, either shortly after marriage, or HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 135 very soon after the birth of their first child? It is, I answer, because a great majority of them, false to their marriage vows, false to their moral and physical obligations, are trying either not to have children, or to limit their number. Lt is because, by an immutable law of nature, there are no harmless ways, by which gestation can be intemqtted or conception shunned. It is because the Avife, sinning most, and most sinned against, suffers the most. " Be the mode of prevention Avhat it may, so much engorgement, and disorganization of the uterine structures, and nerves takes place, in those women w7ho keep themselves sterile, that their health breaks down, and they lose all sexual desire. Then when they advance in life, and there comes that inevitable desire for off- spring, they find to their dismay, that they cannot conceive. What physician of ripe years, is there within the sound of my voice, who has not been begged, by women once will- fully barren, but now7 longing for children, to undo the mischief caused by such practices? * * * " Now, why are there so many ill-assorted marriages ? Why those unhappy homes, and broken households? What means those separa- 136 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. tions between husband, and wife? I answer:— They mean violation of one of nature's immu- table laws—sex is a profound fact, which under- lies all the relations of life, and the fabric of society, and it cannot be ignored. * * * "The causes of domestic infelicity, and ill- assorted marriages, are then to my mind clear enough. The grossness of the carnal union, is redeemed by its purpose—the moral union in which is involved the desire for offspring. Deprive the marriage tie of these qualities; strip it of the family idea, and it loses its co- hesiveness, in intense personality, and self- asserting individualism. Now when a wife is too sickly to admit the approaches of her hus- band, or respond to them, when she receives them on sufferance, or absolutely refuses to entertain them; as I have known many a wife to do; when she soils the marriage bed, with the artifices, and equipments of a brothel, and quenches all passion, by cold-blooded safe- guards: when she puts off an ardent husband, to stated times, and seasons; when a wife, L say, behaves in so unwiflike a way can it be other- Avise, than that estrangement, or jealousy should take place ? Can a home with such an environment be a happy one? Would not most HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 137 husbands be tempted to seek elsewhere, for those pleasures which are denied them at home? These are nature's reprisals ; these in- deed, her never-failing reprisals." " Let us hear the conclusion of the whole mat- ter. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, Avith every secret thing, Avhether it be good, or whether it be evil." Would that I had the ability, to make the ears tingle, of those of my readers who participate in those practices. But alas! I have not that ability, and must there- fore be content to write as the spirit moves me, and it does move me strongly, to say: That any man, or woman practicing, or consenting to the practice of abortion, in his, or her family, is a murderer, and those who so far out- rage religion, nature, and nature's God, as to use any of those vile, disgusting, immoral, and demoralizing, modern practices for the preven- tion of a family, sins a grievous sin, as worthy of destruction, as the sin of Sodom, and Gomorrah, for which they will suffer as Aveliin this present life, as in the soon coming judgment. Thev morally lower themselves (no matter how 138 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. great their external, and assumed refinement, or how high their social position), to the level of harlots, and prostitutes, with this by no means flattering difference: That one sells her body for money; the other her soul for sensual, and laser vious gratification. These may be strong words, but are they not true ? What a wonderful fall- ing away from the purity, and simplicity of the past, in these last days of degeneracy—of scoff- ers, Availing after their own lusts—of men, and women, given over to strong delusions and to, believe a lie —of sensuality, and lasciviousness — of impurity,and blasphemy—of drunkenness,dis- honesty, and lawlessness—of pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy. How different, from thatband of wanderers, on the,plains of Moab, at the foot of Pisgah : listening in wrapt attention to the inspired lawgiver, in his last impassioned speech before going up to die, upon the mount- ain ! When declaring the blessing that should rest on them, if they kept the statutes, and judgment, he had given them, he says: "He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee : he will bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land." And then as the very cli- max, of blessings, declares: "Thou shalt be blessed above all people ; there shall not be a HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 139 male, or female, barren among you or among your cattle." And again when the prophet Zachariah is declaring the blessing, to fall upon the restored Jerusalem, in the future, he uses the words—as the \ery acme of good : " Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, there shall yet old men, and old Avomen, dwell in the streets of Jerusalem : and every man with his staff in his hand for very ags, and the streets of the city shalll be full of boys, and girls, playing in the streets thereof." How much would such blessings be appreciated by the self-indulgence dilettanteism and aestheticism of to-day ? But what saith the Scriptures? " Lo! children are a heritage from the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward: as arrows in the hand of the mighty man, so are the children of youth. Hap. pv is the man that hath his quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed: but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." Psalm 137: 3,4.5. And again, " Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness. through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies, between themselves. For this cause God gave them up to vile affections, for even their avomen, did change THEIR NATURAL USE, TO THAT AVHICH IS AGAINST NA- TURE. Roman 1: 24,26. Oh, that these words 140 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. might be pondered over, throughout the length, and breadth of this fair land, and this sacrifice of seed to Molock,—this sin of Onan—stayed and the proper cure applied ! That cure is cheap, and easily obtained, Avithout money and with- out price—not in the physician's office, or the apothecary's shop, however; but from that tree of life, Avhose leaves are for the healing of the nations, and in that ever living fountain, to which, "the Spirit, and the bride, say come, and let him that heareth, say come, and let him who is athirst, come. And whoever will, let him take of the Avater of life freely." Lose no time, however. " Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus." Oh, think of the wonderful long suffering, and mercy of Him, who willeth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he Avould turn, from his Avickedness, and live. How he has spared you, and nourished you, and kept you, all these years, while you have been rebelling against His laws, and grieving the holy spirit of Christ, by your abominations; and still he calls, and knocks, and pleads, and waits, to be gracious, and will wait, till the last trumpet sounds. Too late; too late; ye cannot enter now! And think not to say to yourselves, there can be no HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 141 great harm in it, for church members, pro- fessors of religion, aye, ministers of the Gospel, and their Avives all do it,—practice those vile, disgusting habits. Ah ! my friends, trust no such deceptive arguments, but listen to the still small voice ("What doest thou here Elijah?") that bids you go boldly to the throne of grace, and ask for a clean heart, and a right spirit, in sure and certain faith, that He,—the Loving One,—will not suffer you to be tempted, beyond what you are able to bear, but with the temptation will show you a Avay of escape, and give you grace, and strength to resist, and overcome the evil. I have not the ability to express my feelings, upon this subject as strongly as I would Avish, being unready of speech. Yet He wiio out of the mouths of babes, and sucklings has perfected praise, may be pleased to bless these few words, written in earnestness, to the turning of many souls to righteousness. So that at the last I may be found, not to have hid my talent (such as it is) in a napkin, but be encouraged by the promise that, " the Avise shall shine as the light, and they that Avin many souls to righteousness, as the stars for ever." 142 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. A Modern, and Lamentable Form of Hys- teria.—This consists of a morbid desire, for the excitement of the sexual organs, caused by the frequent, and unnecessary insertion of the speculum, so frequently practiced by sensuous, and dishonorable physicians. This is a crying evil of modern medical practice, and one which is sapping the very foundation, of our social fabric, destroying, the domestic happiness of families; blunting, the natural modesty of our Avomen, and causing a mental poison, to be distributed among all classes. These are strong words in plain English, but they are fully borne out by the facts. I boldly declare that the speculum, is used by medical men to-day, one thousand times fraudulently (or without necessity, which is the same thing), for once there is re, by the hand of the physician, to be tare indeed! "I will not advert to the epithets, Avhich have been applied to the frequent use of the speculum, by our French neighbors, who are skilled in these matters, but ask: What father among us, after learning these details, would allowr his virgin daughter, to be subject to this pollution ? Let us then maintain the spot. less dignity of our profession, Avith its Avell earned character of purity of morals, and throw aside the injurious practice, Avith indignant scorn, remembering it is not mere exposure of the person, but the dulling the edge of virgin modesty, and the degradation of the pure minds of the daughters of England, Avhich is to be avoided." No Avonder then our race is deteriorating— our divorce courts active, and the matrimonial market dull—the majority of women, are sup- 150 HYSTERICAL AVOMEN. posed to be suffering from uterine disease, and thereby unattractive, and undesirable for wives ! Our virgins deflowered by the unnecessary introduction of the speculum, by dishonest physicians for the sake of lucre! Our married Avomen, too selfish, pampered, and degraded, to rear healthy children, murder them unborn, that they may indulge in personal gratification, untrammeled by the cares, and responsibilities of motherhood! And the faith of our young men, in the purity, and chastity, of woman is dissipated! Were it possible, to investigate, and trace the history of our fallen women of to-day, and those who have been untrue to their marriage vows (either by divorce, or other- wise), how vast a majority Avould be found, who have had their maiden modesty, their virgin purity, first dulled, and the first barrier of female chastity torn down, by the use of the speculum, and vaginal examinations? How many hearthstones defiled, and homes broken up, might be traced to the same first cause ? In this connection I would sound a note of Avarning to parents, and husbands, and make a feAv suggestions for their guidance, and safety. 1st. As the use of the speculum, works irre- parable injury, it should never be used in the hysterical avomen 151 virgin, except in cases of absolute, and urgent necessity, and such necessity, should not depend upon any one physician's ''say so," but upon consultation between two or more. 62d. When it becomes necessary to use the speculum in the unmarried, or young married woman, it .should be considered of such grace im- portance, that two physicians should be present., each time it is used. 3d. That no young woman, married or, single, should be allowed to visit a male physician alone, u/dess he is a man of advanced years, moral character, purity of conversation and father of a family. I say this not because all physicians are un- trustworthy, for the reATerse is the case, as the purest minds in the country are to be found, in the medical profession. But in those latter days of laxity of morals, and widespread cor- ruption: so many men totally unfit, in morals, and purity, to enter our noble profession, have crept in; that a wise precaution (which of itself can work nothing but good), will oft-times be a protection to man}', and is therefore advisable. In this connection, I would ask my male readers, fathers, husbands and brothers, to pause for a moment and consider :—How many 152 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. physicians they are acquainted with, wrhose minds are so tainted,—aye I will say,—satur- ated, with impurity, lasciviousness, and sensu- ality, that they cannot be in company of men alone, Avithout launching out into obscenity, vulgarity, and blasphemy: priding themsehTes upon their cleverness, in repeating some ribald jest, or blackguard story, the point of Avhich is to be found, in its impurity, sensuality, or blas- phemy ! And say : are these the men, to whom you Avill entrust the privilege, of private con- ference. Avith pure, and innocent, Avives, daugh- ters, or sisters? Should you suffer them, to be subject to the contamination, of such societyr; or the degradation, of such poisonous, befouling, influence? Nor are you blameless in this matter. For do you not countenance, and encourage such men, by your enjoyment of their ribaldry, and your appreciation, and laughter, at the impurity, sensuality, or blasphemy, of the point of their vulgar jest? Instead of turning on your heel, vvith scorn, and disgust you say: "What a clever, social, jolly fellowT Doctor so-and-so is, I must have him up to my house !" Ah ! my friends, you are, and have long been, sowing the wind of impurity, and sensuality. Beware, HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 153 that you reap not the Avhirlwind, of domestic misery, and unhappiness, upon your own hearthstone ! This is no sensational sketch, for you know it to be alas! too true, and if you think for one moment, you will see that for obvious reasons : no man of impure mind, as illustrated by impure conversation, is qualified to be trusted, Avith the sacred office of family physician, be his learning, brilliancy, and skill, ever so great. Pause, and think seriously, upon this matter. I cannot close this monograph without saying, that Avhile the great majority of hysterical affections, should be declared imaginary, yet there are many real sufferers, from this class of affections, who are entitled to our deepest sym- pathies and kindest treatment. There are also great, and good physicians, of the highest honor, and purity, to Avhom the above remarks do not apply If what I have written, will enlighten some fond parent, or loving husband, on the imposi- tions that are practiced upon them, by hysterical daughters, and wives, I shall have done well. If I can satisfy some miserable hysterical pa- tient, that her fancied symptoms are imaginary, 154 HYSTERICAL AVOMEN. and that she can herself control her morbid feelings, I shall have done better. And if by exposing the abuse of the fraudulent, and unnecessary application of the speculum I can save one pure Avoman, from the pollution, and degradation, of an unnecessary application of that instrument, with all its surroundings, and evil consequences, and succeed in erasing, the foul blot from the escutcheon, of a noble profes- sion, I Avill feel that I have not lived, practiced, and AATritten, in vain : but have done some good, in my day, and generation, which will live after me. If I have used strong-language, and plain Eng- lish, to express my meaning, I have done so advisedly, and only regret my inabilit}T, to use still stronger language, and still plainer English, and I am willing to accept the respon- sibility. In doing so I have acted upon the principle, "That if the trumpet give an uncer- tain sound, Avho shall prepare himself for the battle?" I speak that which I knoAV, and tes- tify that Avhich I have seen, and have doubtless stirred up turbid, and offensive smelling waters, that both the pulpit, and press, are too recreant to their duties, to handle Avith the effect they might. And I fully realize, the storm I will HYSTERICAL AVOMEN. 155 raise upon my deAe-ted head. Nor can I expect to escape the misrepresentation, villification, and bitter vituperation that always is leveled at the uncompromising reformer, of present social abuses, who has the pluck, and energy to strike out a new path, and expose the folly, fraud, and wickedness, of the day. My object being to enlighten and instruct my fellow man, in facts he is ignorant of, and to reform, if pos- sible, a crying abuse in the medical profession, which latter indeed is a hard task. It may not be without interest to give a short account of mode of action, with their results, practiced by Antoine Mesmer, who was considered the father of so called mesmerism, or animal magnetism, the foundation of the more recent hypnotism. In the middle of a large room, stood a large oak tub four, or five feet, in diameter, and about one foot deep; it was closed by a lid, made in two pieces, and encased in another tub or bucket; at the bottom of the tub, a number of bottles were laid, in convergent rows, so that the neck of each bottle, turned toward the center. Other bottles, filled with magnetized water, tightly corked, were laid in divergent 156 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. rows, Avith their necks outAvard,—several rows were thus piled up, and the apparatus was then pronounced to be at high pressure. The tub was filled with water, and sometimes was added powdered glass, and iron filings. There were also dry tubs, that is, prepared in the same manner, but without any additional water. The lid Avas perforated, to admit the passage of movable, bent iron rods, which could be applied, to different parts of the patient's body. A long rope was also fastened to a ring in the lid, and this the patients placed loosely, round their limbs. No diseases offensive to the sight were treated, such as sores, wens, or deformities. The patients then drew near to each other, touching hands, arms, knees or feet. The hand- somest, youngest and most robust assistant magnetizers, held also an iron rod, with which they touched the dilatory or stubborn patients. The rods, and ropes, had all undergone a prep- aration, and in a very short space of time, the patients felt the magnetic influence. The women being most easily affected, were almost at once, seized Avith fits of yawning, and stretch- ing: their eyes closed, their legs gave way, and they seemed to suffocate. In vain did mu- sical glasses, and harmonicas resound, the piano. HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 157 and voices re-echo. These supposed aids, only seemed to increase, the patients' convulsive movements. Sardonic laughter, piteous moans, and torrents of tears, burst forth on all sides. The bodies were thrown back in spasmodic jerks; the respirations sounded like death-rat- tles, and the most terrifying symptoms Avere exhibited. Then suddenly the actors of this strange scene Avould frantically, or rapturously, rush toward each other, either rejoicing, and embracing, or thrusting aAvay their neighbors, with every appearance of horror. Another room Avas padded, and presented a different spectacle. The Avomen beat their heads, against the padded walls, or rolled on the cushioned floor, in fits of suffocation. In the midst of this panting, quivering throng, Mesmer, dressed in a lilac coat, moved about extending a magic wand, toward the least suffering, standing in front of the most violently excited, and gazing steadily into their eyes, while he held both their hands in his, bringing the middle finger in immediate contact, to establish communication. At an- other moment, he Avould by a motion of open hands, and extended fingers, operate with the great current, crossing and uncrossing his arms, 158 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. with wonderful rapidity, to make the final passes. The above description is given by M. Delouze, the librarian of the Jardin des Plantes, who was cotemporary with Mesmer. The personal influence of Mesmer, over his patients, Avas something wonderful, as by a word, or glance he would influence his patients to any degree, and as all this was not done in a corner, the excitement of that day, turned the whole business into what noAV-a-days would be called " a fad." Thousands of sensational women and novelty hunting idlers, thronged the magnetizer's parlors, and exciting scenes were enacted hourly. Mesmer, himself, who started the excitement in a spirit of investiga- tion, soon dropped the scientific aspect of dis- covery, and debased it to the level of quackery and charlatanism, and, after many vicissitudes, the government, in 1784, interfered, and ap- pointed two commissions to investigate the matter; they came to the conclusion that the phenomena Avas due to imitation, imagination, and contact, and that they were dangerous, and must be prohibited. Still the ball having been set rolling, many scientific men would not accept the dictum, of those commissions In 1825, Dr. Foissac, persuaded the Academy of HYSTERICAL AVOMEN. 159 Medicine of Paris, to take up the subject, and Husson, the reporter admitted in his conclu- sions, that magnetism did exist. About 1837, Baron du Potet, invented the magic mirror, which had quite a run as a novelty in this direction. " There was first traced on the floor, a magic circle in charcoal, the subject ap- proached, and then drew back, alternately look- ing at the spectators, and the circle: soon the effect became visible. The subject's head is lowered, and he becomes uneasy, turns round, and round, the circle, without taking his eyes off it, then bends loAver, rises again, draAvs back a few steps, then advances again, frowns, looks morose, and gloomy, and breathes heavily. The most curious scene then follows. He without doubt, sees images reflected in the mirror, for his perturbation, his emotion, his strange motions, his sobs, tears, anger, despair, and fury, all prove the disorder, and agitation of his mind. For him it is no dream, or nightmare, the ap- paritions are realities, and a series of future events, represented by figures, and signs that he understands, unfold themselves before him, filling him in turn with joy, or sadness, as they pass before his eyes. Soon, he is seized with a transport of frenzy, strives to lay hold of the 160 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. phantom, and dashing forward, stamps with his foot on the blackened circle ; the dust flics up, and the operator now approaches, and puts an end to the dramatic performance, so full ol excitement and terror." Potet, ascribed this to magic, but the more recent experiences with hypnotism, bring about as marvelous results ; at this time, the excite. ment became so great, that the Holy Inquisi- tion, sent an encyclical letter to the bishops, warning them against the errors, and dangers of magnetism : And mesmerism, and animal magnetism fell into desuetude, and in 1841, Dr. James Baird, a Manchester surgeon, took up the subject, and introduced the new name of hypnotism, and pointing out an essential dis- tinction, between them, and thus may be said, to have discovered a new science; which has been largely elucidated, and reduced to fixed laws, by the researches made at the medical school of Salpetriere, under Professor Charcot, and his assistants, and pupils. It is unnecessary here to enter into the details, of what led Charcot, to investigate experimentally the science of hyp- notism ; sufficient to say that in 1878, Charcot, and his pupils, entered the field, and have devoted themselves to it ever since, in a thor- HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 161 oughly scientific manner. While giving full mede of praise, to Prof. Charcot, and the Salpetriere, we must not ignore, an equally renowned school of hypnotism, and its profes- sor; in Dr. Liebesault, of the school of Nancy The characteristics of the method in use at the School of Nancy, is described by Dr. Delboeuf: " Dr. Liebesault's system, has something ingen- ious, and simple about it, enhanced by a tone, and air of profound conviction; and his voice has such fervor, and warmth, that he carries away his clients, with him. After having in- quired of the patient, what he is suffering from, without any further, or closer examination : he places his hand, on the patient's forehead, and scarcely looking at him says,' You are going to sleep,' then almost immediately, he closes the eyelids, telling the patient he is asleep. After that, he raises the patient's arm, and says, 'You cannot put your arm down.' If he does so, Dr. Liebesault, appears hardly to notice it; he then turns the patient's arm around, confidently affirming, that the movement cannot be stopped, and saying this he turns his own arm rap- idly around : the patient remaining all the time, with his eyes shut; then the doctor talks on, without ceasing, in a loud, commanding voice. 162 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. The suggestions begin: ' You are going to be cured; your digestion, will be good; your sleep quiet; your cough will stop ; your circu- lation become free, and regular; you are going to feel very strong, and well; you will be able to walk about,' etc. etc. He hardly ever varies this speech. Thus he fires away,-at every kind of disease at once, leaving his client to find out his own. No doubt he gives some special directions, according to the disease the patient is suffering from, but general instructions are the chief thing. The same suggestions are repeated, a great many times, to the same per- son, and strange to say, notwithstanding the inevitable monotony of his speeches, and the uniformity of both style, and voice, the mas- ter's tone is so ardent, so penetrating, and so sympathetic, that I have never once listened to it, without a feeling of intense admiration." These two schools of hypnotism, are somewhat at issue on details, which is unnecessary for me to enlarge upon, but, Avhile speaking of schools, specially devoted to inquiries on hypnotism, we must not forget a third, which steers a middle course, that is the Hospital de la Charite, in Paris, under Dr. Luys. In this latterschool if a hermetically sealed tube, containing a medicine HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 163 unknown to the subject, is placed in contact with the neck, an effect varying according to each substance, is produced. Thus alcohol, pro- duces merry or furious drunkenness, according as it is distilled from corn, or from wine. Water produces, hydrophobia; ipecac, vomiting; oil of cherry, laurel, ecstasy, and piety; nitro- benzole, convulsion shocks through the whole body ; valerian, feline movements, and crawling on all fours, etc. There have even been cases that have acted as involuntary tests ; for in- stance, some tubes were brought at haphazard, and the operator thinking he had one kind of medicine, was astonished to see it produce the effects of another, substance. On examination it was found, that the experimenter had made a mistake, and that the subject was right. Dr. Luys also produces strange phenomena at La Char it e, by the use of colored balls, each color making a different impression upon the sub- ject while in a state of hypnotism. The most remarkable effects are produced by what Dr. Luys calls " transfer," in which a diseased con- dition, is temporarily transformed from one sub- ject, to another subject, perfectly healthy: to the marked relief, and improvement of the diseased party's condition. 164 HYSTERICAL AVOMEN. The hypnotic state, consists of three distinct conditions, merging from one to the other. First, the deep stage, in which the mental fac- ulties disappear, and are followed by the cata- leptic, which merges into the somnambulistic, and finally waking state. Looking steadily upon a bright spot, a strong light, or pressure upon the globes of the eyes, will produce this lethargic stage. Also it has been found, that there are certain parts of the skin.—on the fore- head, the ear lobe, the arm, and back—that wiien pressed produce sleep. Some of these induce sleep, others only awaken the subject, and are called hypnogenic points, while in trained subjects, the mere word of command, is sufficient to produce lethargy. Sometimes this lethargy, is combined with rigidity, of the mus- cles (but not always), which may be produced by the slightest touch, and while in this stage, pins and needles, may be thrust under the skin, without appreciable effect on the subject, and many subjects have remained in this con- dition, for protracted periods, and some have even been buried, while in this conditions especially in time of great epidemics, such as cholera, and plague, Avhen hasty interments be. came habitual. The cataleptic stage, succeed, HYSTERICAL AVOMEN. 165 the lethargic, and can be produced instanta- neously, on the waking subject, or indirectly by lifting the eyelids, of a patient in the lethar- gic, state when the subject is fixed, in the posi- tion she happened to have been in, at the mo- ment. Immobility, is the chief characteristic of this state. The limbs can be placed in any position, and retain it for a longer, or shorter time. While in this condition, the curious phenomena of transfer, can be induced, and consists of transferring the condition of one side of the body, to the opposite, or from one subject, to another, and is frequently practiced at Salpetriere. The highest phase of hypnotic sleep, and that which-approaches most nearly to the Avaking state, is that of somnambulism, and is produced, either by friction to the crown of the head, during the cataleptic stage, or directly by mag- netic passes, to the waking subject. Some people cannot be put, in any deeper state of hypnotic sleep. The lesser hypnotism, may be characterized bv fascination, a condition in which the sub- ject, follows the operator, servilely, and imitates his movements, gestures and words. He obeys su'^estions, and a stimulation of the nerves, 166 HYSTERICAL AVOMEN. induces contractions, but the cataleptic pliabil- ity, does not exist. Monsieur Bremaud, a cele- brated magnetizer, proceeded to produce "fas- cination," in the following manner. After hav- ing operated in public, first upon one of his own trained subjects, and thereby impressed the imagination of his audience, he would enquire if any spectators were willing to submit them- selves to experiment. Several Avould come for- ward. He would choose one, and make him lean upon his hands, so as to weaken his mus- cular power. Both hypnotizer, and subject remained standing on the platform, in front of an audience, noAV thoroughly interested, in the struggle for mastery between them. The patient's enervation, under the influence of the numberless eyes fixed upon him, soon reached a climax. The hypnotizer, would suddenly call out: " Look at me!" upon Avhich the subject would draw himself up, and gaze intently, into the operator's eyes. The latter Avould then look down on his victim, with round, glaring eyes, and in the majority of cases, suc- ceed in fascinating his subject. Scientific men had their attention attracted to the subject, and from preconceived doubtfulness, gradually be- gan to investigate for themselves, and apply HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 167 the results to treatment of disease, with, in many cases, satisfactory results. In the lesser hypnotism the subject is ready to be influenced by suggestion, and a state of insensibility to pain is induced, and obedience? illusion, and hallucinations are secured. A sample case of mere medical suggestion acting as a means of cure, as practiced at Charite Hospital, may prove interesting, as illustrating some previous remarks. Gabrielle C------, be- came a patient of Dr. Luys, in 1886. She entered the hospital, to be under his treatment, for some accident arising from pulmonary congestion, and while there, wras suddenly seized, with vio- lent attacks of hysteric epilepsy, which first contracted both legs, and finally reduced her to complete immobility. She had been in this state of absolute immobility, for seven months, and Dr. Luvs, had Yainty tried every therapeutic remedy, usual in such cases. His intention was first, to restore her general constitution, Avhich was Greatly weakened by her protracted stay in bed and then, at the end of a certain time, to have recourse to hypnotism, and, at the opportune moment, suggest to her the idea of walking. Dr. Luys, previously had a similar case, cured by that means at the Salpetriere. 168 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. .He therefore decided to proceed in the same manner, and intrusted the case to Dr. Faveau de Courmelles, at that time attached to his division at la Charite, who, following his in- structions, began a course of therapeutic hyp- notism. The patient was hypnotized every morning, and the first degree (that of lethargy) induced ; afterward, the cataleptic, and finally the somnambulistic state, were produced. After a certain period of somnambulism, she began to move, and unconsciously took a few steps across the Avard. Soon after it was sug- gested, that she should walk when awake. This she was enabled to do, and in some weeks the cure was complete. M. des Courmelles, in this case tried the experiment, of suggesting a change of personality, at the moment of induc- ing her to walk, the patient imagining she was some one else, and consequently able to walk anyhow. M. des Courmelles, in his clinical notes of the case says: "We continued to make the patient walk, while in a somnambulistic state, supporting her a little, and ascertaining she was daily improving in her gait: when how- ever the waking period had arrived, all effort ceased, and the patient was again perfect] v helpless. Matters having reached this point HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 169 we suggested to her (Avhile in the somnambu- listic state), the idea to be retained Avhen awake, that she was no longer Gabrielle, but that her personality was changed, and that she was noAV Yvonne, a very vivacious girl, who occupied the next bed to her. This therapeutic sug- gestion, met with complete success, and Gabri- elle, retained in her waking condition, the impression that had been given her in her sleep. She fancied all day, that she Avas Yvonne, walked about exactly as the latter did, and recovered all her movements. She only awoke on the following day, and then com- plained of a general feeling of lassitude, and discomfort, and a disagreeable sensation, as of being in somebody else's skin. This operation of substituted personality, and temporary cure, was renewed with the same success, for three days, running. The patient spent the whole day, under the name Yvonne, moving about the ward, and Avent to sleep regularly every even- ing, awaking the next day, with the same feel- ing of unwonted fatigne. She was then left for tAVo days in complete repose, without any suggestion, in order to remove the false impres- sion, of substituted personality, and the third day in the somnambulistic state, it Avas sug- 170 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. gested, that on awakening, she Avould find her- self cured and able to Avalk. This result was actually obtained." The subject of criminal responsibility, under the influence of hypno- tism, is one of much interest, but is too large a subject to enter upon, and do justice to in this place, further than to say, while both sides of the question have strong advocates, yet the weight of evidence, goes to prove, that free will can not be destroyed, by hopnotism, without the consent of the subject, and consequently the criminal has no right, or title to claim exemption from punishment, for crimes com raitted upon those grounds, being a consenting party, any more than, for crimes, committed under the influence of alcohol. Lethargy.—A few years ago, the village of Thenelles, in the department of Aisne, was excited over a young girl, who had been in an unbroken slumber for four years! The fame of this case spread abroad, till the report at last reached Paris, and some of the doctors deter- mined to investigate it. In their published ac- count, they told how they tried to cure the case notwithstanding the opposition of the mother. and even appealed to the authorities to inter- HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 171 fere. The lethargic subject was then twenty- five years of age, and presented considerable emaciation, of her lower limbs. Her sleep had never been interrupted. The eyelids closed. and when opened showed her eyes convulsively turned upwards, and bloAving upon them did not cause any reflex action of the lids. Her jawTs Avere tightly locked, and some of her teeth had been broken off, in efforts to open her mouth. The muscles contracted at the least breath, or touch, and the uplifted arms retained the position they were given. The subject, a very nervous, irritable girl, had suddenly fallen into this state after an intense fright. She Avas nourished by liquid food, poured into her mouth. A Typical Case.—The Countess de W----, in Paris, accused her maid of having attempted to poison her, and the case became a cause celebre in the Parisian law courts, and crowds of women, of the upper classes, and aristocracy, croAvded the courts: sympathizing with the dear countess. After a sensational trial, the Court of Justice, acting under a false impression, con- demned the unhappy maid to death. The judgment Avas, however, quashed, and a new trial had, Avhen fresh evidence was brought 172 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. fully establishing the innocence of the accused maid, and that unhappy creature, already once condemned to the scaffold, was acquitted by an unanimous verdict, of the jury. But what of the dear countess ? It was fully proved, that she was her own tormentor—having bound herself on the bed, and herself poured otit the poison, which was still to be seen blackening her face and breast. Yet, for the sake of gratifying a morbid desire for notoriety, and sympathy, she had no hesitation, in, having an innocent girl, con- demned to the scaffold, and carried out her false accusation, and perjury, with such cleverness as to deceive both judge, lawyers, and jury, utterly regardless of truth, honor, or honesty; and affording a lively example of that mental con- dition, which pervades these hysterical women, in a greater, or lesser degree. The same mental condition, being the cause of numberless false charges, made, and sustained, against innocent men, of the same character as that,of Potiphar's wife of old against the innocent Joseph; and so notorious has this characteristic of hysterical women become that lawyers of experience are very shy of giving full credence, to the statements of their female clients. I doubt not, that many such charges could be quashed, by HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 173 satisfying the courts, and juries, that the Avomen making them, were subjects of hysteria, and were only practicing some of the well-known vagaries of that disease. Hiccough.—Dr. Baillie has described a case of a girl, age 15 years, of sanguinous tempera- ment, who suffered from this affection, in a remarkable manner. The disease seemed to have been caused, by great excitement at a party, at which she had been present, where she had attracted considerable attention, and drank freely, and secondly, a severe scolding she received soon after, from her mother. The attack commenced with the usual hysteric fits of great strength, and frequency, which attained a periodical tendency, and were treated Avith quinine. This was folloAved Avith hiccough, which at first was so gradual, that it did not excite any alarm, until it became a prominent symptom of the disease, and resisted every attempt to subdue it, although ether and lauda- num were exhibited in doses so large, as to require remedies to counteract, their poisonous effects. The influence of a violent fright, was next tried with but partial success, and the hiccough returned in a few days. When the 174 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. patient was first seen by Dr. Baillie, the disease had existed fourteen months, and for the last seven, had ceased only during sleep. It Avas so loud that it could be heard a distance, of tAvo hundred yards, in open air, and was much quicker than ordinary hiccough. On going to bed also, at 9 p. m., she invariably had a peculiar hysteric attack, which commenced Avith loss of sense, and motion; soon followed by a convulsive effort, of the respiratory mus- cles, in which all the muscles of the back seemed to sympathize, as she Avas often raised so that her body formed quite an arch. This again was succeeded by a short inspiration, fol- lowed by a long sonorous expiration. The fit was generally succeeded by* hiccough Avhich gradually gave Avay to sleep. After a time some improvement was apparent, and she Avas sent to the country, and the case lost sight of. Curious Case.—E. g.: A young girl of good appearance, and superior education, recently came under the care of Mr. E. Hart, at the West London Hospital, exhibited the peculiar- ity of self-inflicted tortures, to a singular extent, going so far as to submit with content, to have the end of her finger cut off, as a necessary HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 175 consequence of the injuries she inflicted upon herself, and continued the same course of con- cealed self-injury, after the operation, with the apparent object of persuading Mr. Hart to remove the whole finger—she first applied with abscess of the extremity of the forefinger, implicating the last joint. Several pieces of needles were extracted, and she said she remembered, the needles having broken into her finger. No suspicion was then excited, as to her peculiar habit, but there is little doubt, that the needles Avere willfully introduced, and broken in the flesh. Ultimately, the joint being extensively diseased, it was necessary to remove the end of the finger. Immediately after the stump had healed healthily, the patient presented herself again, with bleeding points, in the course of the cicatrix, the rest of the finger being kept in a bent position, and the patient complained of great pain, in all the joints of the finger. The finger was straight- ened, and put in a splint, but she continued to present herself, the splint being always re- moved, the stump bleeding, and the whole fin- ger covered, with excoriations. She com- plained of great pain in the part, and expressed a wish, to have the whole finger removed. At 176 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. the same time, she managed to have several of her teeth extracted, and Avas taking medicine, as an out patient. Mr. Hart, then taxed her with willfully producing the troubles, which of course she denied. However he bandaged up the finger, and sealed the bandages, so that she could not tamper with them, and she got well. Hysterical Chorea.—The patient was ad- mitted to the Middlesex Hospital, suffering from fits, with the following characteristics: They commenced Avith a choking sensation, like globus hystericus, and successive efforts to swallow. These were soon followed, by mus- cular agitation, confined for the most part, to the head, and left side of the body and inter- rupted occasionally, by severe spasmodic rigid- ity, of certain muscles, causing the head to be dravvn, sometimes to one side, and sometimes to the other. The movements were so violent, that the patient must have hurt herself if she had not been in bed. Any attempt to restrain them, made them worse. The attack was not preceded by any scream, or consciousness of pain. The patient would converse freely, wiiile the movements were going on, and with her right hand, endeavor to restrain the move- ments of the left, and yet,.the movements were HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 177 to some extent, under the conirol of her will. In the midst of a fit, she Avould pick up a pin, or a card, and hold it with her left hand, Avhich went directly at the object and grasped it, sometimes the movements being for a few mo- ments suspended. Other times she had to wait a few moments, before endeavoring to seize the object. The duration of the fits, varied from a few moments, to several hours. She had four, five, or six, or more, fits in the day, and often they appeared, to be induced by excitement, as at the hour of visit of the phy- sician, or friends. There were no movements, during sleep. The disease got Avell with simple treatment. Epidemic of Hysteria on Board Ship.—The outbreak compr.sed eighteen cases, eight mar- ried, and ten single women, ranging from seven- teen, to thirty-one years of age, and varied in form, and intensity, from simple hysteria, and fainting to strong convulsions, and prolonged general spasm. The varieties corresponded with the intellectual, moral, and physical, characteris- tics of the patients. The immediate exciting causes were: 1st, the pre-existing case of Susan B----; 2d, the first case (that of Mrs. 178 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. S----), in the general outbreak of December 28th, occurring at 2 p. m., in a violent, and striking form, and arising from jealousy, in an excitable, epileptic subject, and seen, and talked about by those that followed, during the same evening; 3d, sympathetic influence affecting the community ; 4th, the existing effects of heat "(82° to 85" in the shade), and climate, crossing the equator; 5th, nymphomania. The following is an abstract of a few, of the typical cases: Case 1. Susan B----, age 22, of spare habit, intelligent, and healthy looking, was found in bed prostrate, and unconscious, on the 5th of December (the day after going to sea). It came out, that she had been at sea, as a girl of ten years old, with her father; that she became a mother at 15, and afterward, the subject of parental harshness, and of restraint in a work. house asvium. She was the victim of nympho- mania. The attacks were long, strong, frequent and of persistent character, being excited by sudden shocks, and often when in bed at night without apparent cause, until they finally ceased, with the habit that induced them, having lasted from the 5th of December to the 7th of February, folloAving, Avith various remissions, or intervals of calm, rational, and good behavior, alternating HYSTERICAL AVOMEN. 179 with threats, and feigned attempts to commit suicide. The patient noAV being peevish, quarrel- some, perverse, deceitful; then pulling her hair, and malingering in order to excite sympathy. When delirious, or ecstatic, or under the first effects of chloral hydrate, her mind would betray signs of good, and evil training, such as bad language and pretty hymns. The general symptoms, were intoUerance of light, with a sense of " fire in the head." Hyperesthesia of the left side, of the face, neuralgia, temporary paralysis, and spasm of the eyelids, face, neck, and throat, involving the muscles of expression, speech, deglutition and voice, in one or both— but mostly in the left side. During one attack or " fit," the convulsive action extended to the chest the arms, and more or less the whole body, lasting from a few moments, to half an hour, and merging into complete rigidity. The body being arched backward, so as to rest on the head, and heels, but rarely inclined to the rio-ht side. This general spasm, or tetanus, us°ually lasted from ten minutes, to several hours' in a few instances, the patient remained stiff and unconscious as in a state of catalepsy, for twenty-four, to thirty-six hours. This de- scription of S. B----'s state of mind, and of 180 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. the nature of the attacks, is applicable to the cases, that follow, a few particulars only, of each being subjoined. Case 2. Mrs. S----, age 26, of spare habit, pale, epileptic aspect, and lively disposition. This case, which took place on December 28th, was the first of the general outbreak, and had been subject to some complaint, for several years in Sydney. Excited by jealousy, etc., the case was remarkable, for the violence, and duration of the attacks, also for the delusions, and vagaries, followed by the feigning, and deception which she practised. Symptoms as in the first case with greater intelligence, and Colonial acuteness. Great agitation, strong convulsions, extreme rigidity of the body, and wiiile ecstatic, fancying herself about to be buried at sea, and asking to be lowered gently. Lastly, the stage of imposition having set in, and being detected on January 16th, she straightway recovered, and returned to her berth, in the married women's compartment. Case 3. Mrs. Anna M. G----, age 31, an invalid of seven years standing from trouble. and uterine weakness (abortions, etc.). Present HYSTERICAL women. 181 attack severe, and brought on by sight of the others, while a weak, and delicate woman. Case 4. Harriet W.----, age 25, stout, and apparently listless, and phlegmatic, was one of ten cases, which immediately broke out, after the proceeding, on'the night of Dec. 28th. She was conspicuous for her moral, and intellectual attainments. The fit commenced with syncope, and hysterical screaming, followed by singing, and talking to herself, for an hour, or more, after a dose of chloral. While reclining on the poop, she had calm, and luckl intervals; alter- nating with a state of abstraction, in which were disclosed, evidences of a moral, and culti- vated mind. At one time she was singing, in fine musical, and feeling tones, a favorite song in German, as if it had been the secret of her life. At another, she was instructing an im- aginary class of children, in the art of singing. And anon, I was impressed by her minutely expounding the Epistle of St. Paul, to Phile- mon ; gently exhorting her little imaginary pupils, to "speak up," so that she might hear them. On December 31st, she was clear, and calm, felt her mind active, and said, " We don't so readily get over broken hearts." Strange a* it may seem, all this was soon succeeded by 182 HYSTERICAL AVOMEN. disobedient and perverse conduct, threatening us with, " more trouble before she had done," and ending with a becoming apology on the 1st of February. The cases, Amy L---, age 20, Anna M----, age 21, and Eliza II----, age 19, arose in stout, robust young women, of neglected train- ing, and education, the attacks being strongly marked. Avith a predominance of animal spirits. The nine, remaining cases, occurred in young married, and single women, from 20, to 25, years of age, of excitable, hysterical constitu- tion, and in forms varying from vague fears, and hallucinations, to unconsciousness, extreme convulsions, and stiffness of the whole body. The immediate cause of all was probably emotional. It may be said, Avhy bring this matter before the public? Why not bring it specially before the doctors themselves? My dear public, the doctors know all about it without my telling them (or at least they ought to), and what good has it done? It is the general public that is ignorant, and if I can enlighten it, and save some from difficulty, and danger I am satisfied. HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 183 For the rest—Let the galled jade wince, when his withers are wrung! Doubtless many galled jades, of the medical profession will howl, and rave, and fling invective, with no sparing hand, because I fail to cry : " Great is Diana of the Ephesians I" Well let them rave ; fortunately for me a fair-play loving public, are the judges, whether I have done well, or ill in issuing this monograph, and to it I submit. As to the critics "let him that is Avithout sin, cast the first stone." I am open to their criticisms (and will reply if I am furnished with copies thereof). It has been said by patient Job, " Oh ! that my enem3T would Avrite a book." Doubtless I will make many enemies by this book. If so while deeply regretting it, I can only comfort myself with the thought, that the man Avho makes no enemies, never amounts to much anyway, having little individuality, and hope the converse may prove to me likewise true— that the man of individuality, who makes ene- mies, will make his mark, and amount to some- thing distinctiAe in the end. To the great impersonal we, of the fourth estate,—the moulders of public sentiment—the public press, I would appeal. Instead of carping at my faults of style, and errors of judgment, in this 184 HYSTERICAL AVOMEN. monograph, take up the subject, and help the reform along. You have more literary ability, skill, and experience, more influence, and power, than I can ever hope to attain. Can you not spare a little time, a little space, a word in season, towTard the education of the public, upon this matter, and the eradication of the social evils, herein portraved ? And to the occupier of the pulpit I say:—"Son of man, I have made thee a watchman, unto the house of Israel; therefore hear the word of my mouth, and give them warning from me. When 1 say to the wicked man, thou shalt surely die: and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked, from his wicked way to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity: but his blood will L require at thy hand." Ezekiel iii, 17-18. And again: "Cry aloud and spare not: Lift up your voice like a trumpet: and show my people their transgres- sions, and the house of Israel their sin." POSTSCRIPT. After completing the foregoing, I submitted the MS. to a friend, for criticism, who while kindly expressing strong approval of the work, remarked that as a matter of " policy," it HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 185 would be well to modify the language, of some parts of it, as it would cause enmity, from the medical profession, and lessen the sales of the book among physicians; this no doubt was wise counsel, if the book was intended solely for circulation in the medical profession. On the contrary, the book was intended for the general public—for the million. And although it was commenced some years ago, as a commercial literary enterprise, yet as I advanced in the work, I felt a higher influence urging me on. My heart burned within me, as the words flowed from my pen, and I felt the real im- portance of the task I had undertaken, and the smallness of my ability to execute it properly. I determined therefore to send the work forth, dedicated to the honor, and glory of God, leaving the question of pecuniary profit, or Joss altogether in His hands. Under those circum- stances therefore, I felt strongly, that softening, or modification of the language, that naturally flowed from my pen, for the sake of " policy," and pecuniary profit, from the sales of the book, would be mere time serving, abandoning my own individuality, and independence, ignor- ing the true scope of the work, and metaphor- ically, putting on kid gloves, to handle the 186 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. subject with (the very thing I accuse both pulpit, and press of doing), and thus stultifying myself. Oh, no ! As the book stands now, it is mine, and not another's, and as such it goes before the public, whether it prove a financial success, or failure. For I am per- suaded, that if it is the will of the Almighty, that it shall accomplish His work as it is intended : He will see to it, that it spreads through the length, and breadth of the land, with a power for good, that no adverse criti- cism, can check. On the other hand if not, then no " policy," no time serving, no dainti- ness of expression, on my part would force it off the publishers' shelves. One other suggestion my friendly critic made, which I accept as worthy of attention : " That as the cases herein accounted are extreme, and curious, and outside the common run, it would be well therefore to make some allusion, to cases of more common occurrence." There are hundreds of thousands, of cases of hysteria, of daily occurrence, but so slight, or so masked as to be overlooked, all of Avhich, are more or less, subject to self-control. A fewT of the more common, I will briefly glance at; for instance: A young Avoman gets married, the couple en- HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 187 joying a happy, and pleasant honeymoon : everything coleur de rose. They settle down to every day life; the glamor and ideality of the situation, begins to be converted into estab- lished facts of existence. The husband has to go out into the world, to attend to business as the bread Avinner. The wife gets lonely, low- spirited, and feels miserable. With the ultra- sensibility of her sex, feels slighted, and hurt by a real, or imagined shade of difference, in her husband's manner, when no slight, or in- difference is intended. She feels conscious, that she is foolish, in giving way to such fan- cies, and makes an effort to overcome, and ban- ish such morbid feelings, and meet her hus- band with a cheerful face. To do so, she puts her nervous system, in a state of tension. The husband comes home: utterly unconscious, of the brave struggle of the little woman (for she is little more than a child still), to make his home bright, and cheerful, and perhaps tired, and Avorried himself, with outside business mat- ters, is not so "gushing," in his greeting as for- merly. Alas! how much unhappiness, and lasting misery has sprung into existence, from thoughtlessness, and Avant of consideration, for one another's feelings, at this stage of life ? She 188 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. turns aside to hide a quivering lip, and mois tened eye, still determined not to show, that she feels wounded in her sensitive nature. But alas! the cup is full, and overflows in a storm of tears, and there unseen by either, of them, stands that devil Discord, watching with dia- bolical grin, for the commencement of a matri- monial jar! This is a form of hysteria deserv- ing of sympathy, good judgment, and gentle- ness. Again, a woman worried, and anxious over household, troubles—slight, and insignificant as such troubles may appear to a man, they are trying, and irritating in an extreme degree, to the sensitive organization of woman (to a degree indeed, totally incomprehensible, to man's coarser organization), and cause a nervous irritability, that is often hard, and sometimes impossible to control. This is a form of hys- teria, which becomes more or less exaggerated, according to the degree to which it is yielded. There is much difference in the amount of ner- vous irritability, in different persons. One woman will be as much upset, by her husband putting his feet upon the rungs of a chair, or coming into the house with soiled shoes, as another will over that greatest of all vexations, HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 189 of a poor Avoman's life—the falling of a line full of wet clothes, in the dirt after a heavy day's wash! Again, a Avoman of nervous organization, tired or weary, becomes conscious of some un- usual sensation of pain, or uneasiness ; thinks she does not feel all right; wonders what ails her, and ends by. worrying herself, into imag- inary disease—pleurisy, pneumonia, dyspepsia, womb disease, etc. She becomes alarmed, and consults a physician. He questions her, cross- questions her, and examines her, thus calling her attention to a number of unobserved sensa- tions, which now she is reminded of, she thinks by auto suggestion she remembers experiencing; the physician gives her a prescription, probably a mere placebo. It has the effect however, of riveting her attention to her own sensations, and the results of the medicine, thus an actual mimic of the disease take possession of her mind, and she believes, and acts, as if she were really suffering from pleurisy, pneumonia, dys- pepsia, or womb disease, as the case may be; Avhen there is really nothing the matter but b . steria, which would all vanish with a little rest, and change, or cheerful society, or the 190 H YSTK KIC A L AV< >MEN. present of a new dress, or a new bonnet (and I may say by way of parenthesis, that a new dress, or a new bonnet, is often a sovereign cure for a fit of hysterics, and much cheaper, and less injurious, than a long medical attendance)! These are all cases deserving of real sympathy, for their sufferings are real, but controllable to a certain extent. That is they, may not always be able to resist, a flood of hysterical tears, or laughter, nor is it necessary they should. What is known among women as a '"good cry," is really the very best thing for them ( acting as the safety valve of a steam boiler, to let off undue pressure), and it clears up the domestic atmosphere, wonderfully. However there is absolutely no necessity, for them giving way to convulsive movements, so common in such cases, as they are entirely under control at the outset. Sensible women, who are really anxious to con- trol their feelings, when they find the hysterical sensations threatening, will retire to the privacy of their own chambers, and have their " cry" out, and will be thankful to be let alone. In fact they feel under such circumstances, when trying to control the attack, that to be fondled, and sympathized over, while in that over- HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 191 strung state, will just make them screech right out, in spite of themselves. A woman who is really suffering, and knowing she has to put forth every effort, and strong efforts too, to control herself, will ofttimes feel, that even to speak, will start the attack beyond her power of control, and will beckon their husbands, or other mankind, to leave them—and that quickly —and let them be still. The stupid men, how- ever, will insist on doing the very reverse, and go fooling and blundering about, saying, "What is the matter ? " Don't fret," " Don't cry," "Can I do anything for you?" When to leave the room—the quicker the better—and let them be is the best, and kindest thing, they can do. She knoAvs very Avell, that if she is left alone, she can ease off matters gently, but while in that overstrung condition, a word, a touch, a mere movement, often will start her off, into a paroxysm of spasmodic crying, or laughter which racks her severely, and for a time is un- controllable, when it once gets started. Such a woman is to be sympathized with, butleaveher alone, till the attack is over; you need not fear, she will not hurt herself, she is exercising her self-control, and will succeed in checking the attack, by her own unaided efforts. Any in- 192 HYSTERICAL WOMEN. terference will only make it more difficult for her to do so. Sometimes it would appear, as if the very devil, got into some women, and possessed them like the man in the country of the Gaderenes, who was possessed of " legion." They Avill tear their clothes, and injure property, knowing their husbands, or parents, have to pay for the damage—they will even appear to hurt them- selves, but it is only appearance. Such cases are wholly willful, and the sudden, and lavish, application of cold water regardless of time, place, or surroundings, in bed, or on the floor, in the street, or in the church porch (a favorite place by the by), will effectually cut short the attack, and prevent its recurrance under simi- lar circumstances—especially if she has her best dress, or best bonnet on. But this treatment requires considerable firmness, and a full de- termination to repeat it. Readers of this book, if they will make their wives, and daughters, convinced, that it will be put in force, without fail, will find that somehow, or other, the occasion for its use will not arise! Finally the woman that wishes to be let alone, and seeks privacy to control herself without fuss, or con- vulsions, let her be; withdraw from her entirely, HYSTERICAL WOMEN. 193 until the attack is all over. She may require medical treatment, for some physical disease, or ailment, or to remove the susceptibility to hysteria; she does not require the heroic treat- ment of the other. There is one other form of hysteria, very common in these days of religious revivals, which I will briefly allude to. I call it the "hysteria of religion," which true to its power of mimicry, so closely resembles the grace of God, and the awakening of the Holy Spirit, in the heart, that human judgment fails, to diagnose the true, from the false, until after the excitement that called it forth, has had time to subside, and be forgotten. Then if the touch- stone be applied, it fails to respond to the test. This form of listeria, is to be found largely developed, in. the modern revival, and sensa- tional gospel meetings, where penitential seats are crowded with weeping, howling, screeching or sighing penitents, infected by the "moral contagion," of sensational preachers. Folio av up the career of the majority of these penitents, and you will find, that instead of a steady, onward growth, in grace, and in meek- ness, and fitness, for the heavenly kingdom, as \ 194 HYSTERICAL AVOMEN. soon as the excitement passes off, they fall away. Illustrating the parable of the sower, and exemplifying the seed sown in stony places, and among thorns. (See Matthew xiii.) Far be it from me however to infer, that true conversions are never made by such means, and as it is not for man, to judge his fellow-man, in such matters, and say who has received the true grace of God, and who the mere hysterical "mimic" of it, I will express no further opinion, except to say, that it behooves all so influenced, to "give all diligence to make their calling, and election sure,1'' and to take care, that while payT- ing "tithes of mint, anise, and cummin," they have not omitted the weightier matters of the law, "judgment, mercy and faith;"1 and sound a note of warning to both evangelist, and penitent, to beware of giving way to a false, and misguided zeal, and thus causing the gospel of Christ, to be evil spoken of, and find themselves at last to be castaways ! and subject to the awful denouncement of Christ, in the 23d chapter of Matthew : " Woe unto you scribes, and pharasees, hypocrites, for you are like unto Avhited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful, outward, but within are full of dead men's bones, and all uncleanness. 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