HYSTERIA

(Yunanca köken — orijinale bakınız.) It generally attacks unmarried females between the ages of 15 and 3.>, coming on with low spirits and anxiety, sickne , short breath, and palpitations; sobbing; and a sense of distension of the bowels, which afterwards seems to concentre itself in the stomach, and then rise like a ball into the throat, where it produces gasping, stupor, convulsive motions, crying, laughing, hiccough, flow of saliva from the mouth, and delirium: at length the spasms abate, and the person gradually recovers, generally with the expulsion of wind from the stomach. Some of these symptoms are often much more prevalent than others, so that the disorder a umes many forms: it is also very variable in its duration, lasting from an hour or two to one or two days. The treatment varies extremely with the apparent causes of the disorder; sometimes bleeding and depletives, at others stimulants and tonics are required; in mild cases sprinkling with water and applying nasal stimulants give relief. Great attention to the exciting cause, exercise, moderate and judicious amusements and occupations, regular hours, and change of air and scene, are among the best preventives of its recurrence. [s. 594]