Hysteria : the history of a disease / by Ilza Veith.

  • Ilza Veith
Date:
1970, ©1965
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Hysteria : the history of a disease / by Ilza Veith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    81/128 (page 75)
    I will first quote a very simple case of Hysteria, the evi- dence of which is immediate, and the attack transient. In some slight forms the patient loses all command over the voice, which suddenly sinks to an almost inaudible whisper, without any other accom.panying symptom. I have seen many examples, but that I give occurred under my own ob- servation, as it has probably in some form occurred under that of others, for it is as old as history. The subject was a young lady of about twenty, as Sir B. Brodie observes, of pale complexion, and having cold hands and feet. While I was engaged in conversation relative to her health, I some- what imprudently remarked that a mouse was running about under the table at the end of the room. She uttered an ex- clamation of alarm, and in an instant so entirely lost the power of audible speech that I was obliged to approach her and to put my ear close, to hear her. The ferocious cause of the mischief having paid the penalty of its intrusion by the loss of all it possessed on earth, the lady in the course of an hour recovered her voice. Had this person been in sound and vigorous health, she would probably have sustained the shock to her nervous system with less derangement of it. The case is interesting, as showing the sudden influence of the mind on a particular nerve in the general system. Am- monia, chloric ether, henbane, etc., quickly administered would probably shorten the attack, for which agents brandy is a good substitute. Cases of hysteric affections of the breast occur in young persons from 16 to 20. They are associated with a disturbed condition of the general system, but not es- pecially with the functions of the uterus itself. Although