Diseases of the nervous system / by J.A. Ormerod.

  • Ormerod, J. A. (Joseph Arderne), 1848-1925.
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Diseases of the nervous system / by J.A. Ormerod. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

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    and irritation of the pelvic organs ; or as an accom- paniment of organic nervous diseases, such as hemi- plegia, disseminated sclerosis, &c. Toxic influences produce it, alcoholism often, plumbism, and other such causes sometimes. Injuries may determine curious attacks of local hysterical paralysis, or a general and chronic form of neurosis which Ave shall describe later. According to Grasset, phthisis and hysteria have a close relationship ; the two diseases frequently appear- ing in members of the same family. Symptoms.—There is no definite course to a case of hysteria; sometimes one set of symptoms may be present, sometimes another. Even this feature of change is not invariable; some symptoms (notably that of paraplegia) may remain unchanged and un- accompanied by others for a long time. Hence we can only make an enumeration of such phenomena its may in various instances be found ; they may be pieced together differently in different cases. Fits.—These vary much in severity. In a slight hysterical attack there is no loss of consciousness, only a burst of tears or laughter, or both alternately, with some jactitation of the limbs perhaps, and a choking feeling at the throat. Or, again, the patient may lose consciousness and fall, remaining for a short time limp and motionless, or perhaps rigid. Or there may be convulsions, so that the attack bears a general resemblance to epilepsy. We have already contrasted these hysteroid attacks with those of epilepsy : \vu will again enumerate a few points of difference. In hysteria the face does not turn pale or blue, and is not drawn as a rule; the eyes are closed, not staring, the lids tremulous and resist opening ; the tongue is not bitten, there is less foaming at the mouth ; instead of uttering one solitary initial cry, the patient may scream, moan, or even talk throughout the attack ; the movements are apt to be violent, so that several people are required to hold the patient; and purposive, not mere tonic and clonic spasms ; and the face may