TWO TYPICAL CASES OF HYSTERIA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 9292, 19 January 1892, Page 4

TWO TYPICAL CASES OF HYSTERIA.

A short time ago, in the out-patient department of a large hospital, two quietly-dressed ladies stood anxiously awaiting their turn to enter the doctor's room with a poor woman wrapped in blankets, whom they had brought in an invalid chair and ambulance, with the greatest difficulty, from home. When the doctor saw them, he ascertained that the poor creature had suffered for years from a diseased spine, and for the last two years had been entirely supported and' nursed by the two ladies, who, not being rich themselves, had at last found the burden more than they could bear, and, had, as the last resource, brought her to the hospital, in the hope it would provide a bod for her for the remainder of her life. The patient was a respectablelooking person about forty-five, with a placid, well-fed appearance, but emitting the most agonising cries whenever an attempt was made to move her. The ladies were thereupon asked to withdraw, and wait, and the back was carefully ex- 1 amined, and, in spite of intense apparent pain, the, conclusion arrived at was that there was no disease but hysteria. Strong measures "were of course "needed to bring the patient to this point of view, and in the first place the spine was carefully galvanised, and she was then induced to, walk. Further details would be weari-, some. In two hours' time, so effectual! 1 were the means used that the two ladies stared at the miraculous appearance of the one on whom they had spent so much . care, walking all about the waiting-room with ease, and cured of her spinal complaint once and for all. In this case, I again, it was carefully explained that the woman was not deceiving them, but that it was her nerves, not her spine, which ( were disordered. I think Sir B.Brodie used to tell a story of a young* lady of twenty-four, whom he came across lying; in a most extraordinaiy position on her 1 face across a wooden machine made for the purpose, containing also a contri- . vance for feeding her in that position. It ; | appeared she, too, had been suffering)' from" severe spinal disease for six years, ; and had been lying on her face, by mis- j taken medical advice, for four years. .-By i ■ihe discovery of the nervous nature .of the malady, and the soundness , bj the . spine, and the use of this judicious means, I this young lady was sitting eating at table in five days, and -in a fortnight! could walk a quarter of a mile. Another case was that of a young mar- : tied man, about thirty years of age, who had been overworked in " an office, and ' had gradually become extremely hysterical. He was a martyr to various aches and pains, and often absented himself from the office until the symptoms culminated in a sort of fit. He then took to his bed, where he fully expected fo 'die. Trained nurses were engaged to sit up with him every night, when he ap- • parently became delirious. His prin- s cipal symptoms were intense weakness . and exhaustion, and agonising pains sud- ; denly coming on, causing intense con- ] sternation and commotion throughout ' the house. At last a physician came to ' see him, who discovered the seat of the : disease was in his nerves, and its name \ " hysterics." He divulged it to one or .two of the strongest-minded and most; influential of the family, and advised instant action, for the young man was bythis time getting violent and worse every hour. ' His own home, unfortunately, , was over live hundred miles distant, and' involved, not only long rail journeys andchanges^ but steamboats and- carriage-! driving. Nevertheless a brother was 1 telegraphed for who arrived the next' day, and then, accordingtoa pre-arranged' plot, at five o'clock the doctor entered; the sick man's room. He had just been saying he never would get up off the bed! again, and his symptoms were worse. He was, however, told to get up, and, 1 assisted hv two nurses, hurried into his; clothes, witn me buuueu explanation tnai , his brother had just arrived, and wanted ■ to see him downstairs at once. Too bewildered, .to resist, which he certainly would have clone had time been given, > he was bustled down, and found to his ' surprise his brother, who told him that he, the invalid, must at once accompany him home at all risks. The doctor, of j course, consented, but with apparent reluctance. A good meal was waiting, of : which he was forced to partake, and at six the dying man was driving off to the' station as hard as he could go, his bbrotherr r and the doctor keeping up such an inces- ! sant jabber that he tried in vain to get in: a word about himself or utter a protest. Far from his devoted nurse and sympathising sister, he felt he had no resource but to make the best of it. The same business-like proceedings were continued at the station. In all respects treated as in perfect health, he was put into his carriage, offered a paper, and at half-past' six was gone. At the other end he got into a steamer, which was late for the train on the other side, so he had to wait for hours ; and when at last he arrived at the nearest station they had given him up and gone home, so he and his brother had to hire a dogcart and drive over, and arrived all safe. Of course the next two clays he was knocked up, but soon the familiar and much-loved scenes asserted their influence, and in a week he was out shooting all over the place — Leisure Hour.