Essay on Hysteria

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. February 24 - During the whole period of the last eleven weeks, the symptoms have varied little, the bowels have been obstinately constipated, never being moved without the use of the most active purgatives and enemata, and the alvine evacua tions obtained by these have been invariably scanty. During an equal period less than a tea-spoonful of urine daily has been drawn from the bladder by the catheter. At intervals, varying in length from seven to ten days, three or four ounces of a urinous fluid have been vomited. The appetite has been variable, most usually wanting. Sleep could only be obtained by the constant use of narcotics, and many nights together are stated to have been sleepless. Laudanum, in two doses from 20 to 120 minims, procured rest, when the latter quantity was given, active delirium, continuing for three or four hours, was excited. In addition to her usual symptoms she complains of pain in the head and chest: the abdomen is tympanitic, and there is an obscure fluctuation. During the last three weeks there has been bloody discharge from the ears only. Notwithstanding all these sufferings, the body is still as fat, and the arms, hips, legs, and mammae as plump, as when the patient entered the hospital.