anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第118部分

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　the　heroines　of　flagellation；　Maria　Magdalena　of　Pazzi　and　Elizabeth　of　Genton；　in　being　whipped　on　the　naked　loins；　and　thus　calling　up　sensual　and　lascivious　fancies；　clearly　shows　the　significance　of　flagellation　as　a　sexual　excitant。　It　is　said　that　when　Elizabeth　of　Genton　was　being　whipped　she　believed　herself　united　with　her　ideal　and　would　cry　out　in　the　loudest　tones　of　the　joys　of　love。

There　is　undoubtedly　a　sympathetic　communication　between　the　ramifying　nerves　of　the　skin　of　the　loins　and　the　lower　portion　of　the　spinal　cord　which　contains　the　sexual　centers。　Recently；　in　cases　of　dysmenorrhea；　amenorrhea　dysmenorrhagia；　and　like　sexual　disorders；　massage　or　gentle　flagellation　of　the　parts　contiguous　with　the　genitalia　and　pelvic　viscera　has　been　recommended。　Taxil　is　the　authority　for　the　statement　that　just　before　the　sexual　act　rakes　sometimes　have　themselves　flagellated　or　pricked　until　the　blood　flows　in　order　to　stimulate　their　diminished　sexual　power。　Rhodiginus；　Bartholinus；　and　other　older　physicians　mention　individuals　in　whom　severe　castigation　was　a　prerequisite　of　copulation。　As　a　ritual　custom　flagellation　is　preserved　to　the　present　day　by　some　sects。

Before　leaving　the　subject　of　flagellation　it　should　be　stated　that　among　the　serious　after…results　of　this　practice　as　a　disciplinary　means；　fatal　emphysema；　severe　hemorrhage；　and　shock　have　been　noticed。　There　are　many　cases　of　death　from　corporal　punishment　by　flogging。　Ballingal　records　the　death　of　a　soldier　from　flogging；　Davidson　has　reported　a　similar　case；　and　there　is　a　death　from　the　same　cause　cited　in　the　Edinburgh　Medical　and　Surgical　Journal　for　1846。

Idiosyncrasy　is　a　peculiarity　of　constitution　whereby　an　individual　is　affected　by　external　agents　in　a　different　manner　from　others。　Begin　defines　idiosyncrasy　as　the　predominance　of　an　organ；　of　a　viscus；　or　a　system　of　organs。　This　definition　does　not　entirely　grasp　the　subject。　An　idiosyncrasy　is　something　inherent　in　the　organization　of　the　individual；　of　which　we　only　see　the　manifestation　when　proper　causes　are　set　in　action。　We　do　not　attempt　to　explain　the　susceptibility　of　certain　persons　to　certain　foods　and　certain　exposures。　We　know　that　such　is　the　fact。　According　to　Begin's　idea；　there　is　scarcely　any　separation　between　idiosyncrasy　and　temperament；　whereas　from　what　would　appear　to　be　sound　reasoning；　based　on　the　physiology　of　the　subject；　a　very　material　difference　exists。

Idiosyncrasies　may　be　congenital；　hereditary；　or　acquired；　and；　if　acquired；　may　be　only　temporary。　Some；　purely　of　mental　origin；　are　often　readily　cured。　One　individual　may　synchronously　possess　an　idiosyncrasy　of　the　digestive；　circulatory；　and　nervous　systems。　Striking　examples　of　transitory　or　temporary　idiosyncrasies　are　seen　in　pregnant　women。

There　are　certain　so…called　antipathies　that　in　reality　are　idiosyncrasies；　and　which　are　due　to　peculiarities　of　the　ideal　and　emotional　centers。　The　organ　of　sense　in　question　and　the　center　that　takes　cognizance　of　the　image　brought　to　it　are　in　no　way　disordered。　In　some　cases　the　antipathy　or　the　idiosyncrasy　develops　to　such　an　extent　as　to　be　in　itself　a　species　of　monomania。　The　fear…maladies；　or　〃phobias；〃　as　they　are　called；　are　examples　of　this　class；　and；　belonging　properly　under　temporary　mental　derangements；　the　same　as　hallucinations　or　delusions；　will　be　spoken　of　in　another　chapter。

Possibly　the　most　satisfactory　divisions　under　which　to　group　the　material　on　this　subject　collected　from　literature　are　into　examples　of　idiosyncrasies　in　which；　although　the　effect　is　a　mystery；　the　sense　is　perceptible　and　the　cause　distinctly　defined　and　known；　and　those　in　which　sensibility　is　latent。　The　former　class　includes　all　the　peculiar　antipathies　which　are　brought　about　through　the　special　senses；　while　the　latter　groups　all　those　strange　instances　in　which；　without　the　slightest　antipathy　on　the　part　of　the　subject；　a　certain　food　or　drug；　after　ingestion；　produces　an　untoward　effect。

The　first　examples　of　idiosyncrasies　to　be　noticed　will　be　those　manifested　through　the　sense　of　smell。　On　the　authority　of　Spigelius；　whose　name　still　survives　in　the　nomenclature　of　the　anatomy　of　the　liver；　Mackeuzie　quotes　an　extraordinary　case　in　a　Roman　Cardinal；　Oliver　Caraffa；　who　could　not　endure　the　smell　of　a　rose。　This　is　confirmed　from　personal　observation　by　another　writer；　Pierius；　who　adds　that　the　Cardinal　was　obliged　every　year　to　shut　himself　up　during　the　rose　season；　and　guards　were　stationed　at　the　gates　of　his　palace　to　stop　any　visitors　who　might　be　wearing　the　dreadful　flower。　It　is；　of　course；　possible　that　in　this　case　the　rose　may　not　have　caused　the　disturbance；　and　as　it　is　distinctly　stated　that　it　was　the　smell　to　which　the　Cardinal　objected；　we　may　fairly　conclude　that　what　annoyed　him　was　simply　a　manifestation　of　rose…fever　excited　by　the　pollen。　There　is　also　an　instance　of　a　noble　Venetian　who　was　always　confined　to　his　palace　during　the　rose　season。　However；　in　this　connection　Sir　Kenelm　Digby　relates　that　so　obnoxious　was　a　rose　to　Lady　Heneage；　that　she　blistered　her　cheek　while　accidentally　lying　on　one　while　she　slept。　Ledelius　records　the　description　of　a　woman　who　fainted　before　a　red　rose；　although　she　was　accustomed　to　wear　white　ones　in　her　hair。　Cremer　describes　a　Bishop　who　died　of　the　smell　of　a　rose　from　what　might　be　called　〃aromatic　pain。〃

The　organ　of　smell　is　in　intimate　relation　with　the　brain　and　the　organs　of　taste　and　sight；　and　its　action　may　thus　disturb　that　of　the　esophagus；　the　stomach；　the　diaphragm；　the　intestines；　the　organs　of　generation；　etc。　Odorous　substances　have　occasioned　syncope；　stupor；　nausea；　vomiting；　and　sometimes　death。　It　is　said　that　the　Hindoos；　and　some　classes　who　eat　nothing　but　vegetables；　are　intensely　nauseated　by　the　odors　of　European　tables；　and　for　this　reason　they　are　incapable　of　serving　as　dining…room　servants。

Fabricius　Hildanus　mentions　a　person　who　fainted　from　the　odor　of　vinegar。　The　Ephemerides　contains　an　instance　of　a　soldier　who　fell　insensible　from　the　odor　of　a　peony。　Wagner　knew　a　man　who　was　made　ill　by　the　odor　of　bouillon　of　crabs。　The　odors　of　blood；　meat；　and　fat　are　repugnant　to　herbivorous　animals。　It　is　a　well…known　fact　that　horses　detest　the　odor　of　blood。

Schneider；　the　father　of　rhinology；　mentions　a　woman　in　whom　the　odor　of　orange…flowers　produced　syncope。　Odier　has　known　a　woman　who　was　affected　with　aphonia　whenever　exposed　to　the　odor　of　musk；　but　who　immediately　recovered　after　taking　a　cold　bath。　Dejean　has　mentioned　a　man　who　could　not　tolerate　an　atmosphere　of　cherries。　Highmore　knew　a　man　in　whom　the　slightest　smell　of　musk　caused　headache　followed　by　epistaxis。　Lanzonius　gives　an　account　of　a　valiant　soldier　who　could　neither　bear　the　sight　nor　smell　of　an　ordinary　pink。　There　is　an　instance　on　record　in　which　the　odor　coming　from　a　walnut　tree　excited　epilepsy。　It　is　said　that　one　of　the　secretaries　of　Francis　I　was　forced　to　stop　his　nostrils　with　bread　if　apples　were　on　the　table。　He　would　faint　if　one　was　held　near　his　nose　Schenck　says　that　the　noble　family　of　Fystates　in　Aquitaine　had　a　similar　peculiarityan　innate　hatred　of　apples。　Bruyerinus　knew　a　girl　of　sixteen　who　could　not　bear　the　smell　of　bread；　the　slightest　particle　of　which　she　would　detect　by　its　odor。　She　lived　almost　entirely　on　milk。　Bierling　mentions　an　antipathy　to　the　smell　of　musk；　and　there　is　a　case　on　record　in　which　it　caused　convulsions。　Boerhaave　bears　witness　that　the　odor　of　cheese　caused　nasal　hemorrhage。　Whytt　mentions　an　instance　in　which　tobacco　became　repugnant　to　a　woman　each　time　she　conceived；　but　after　delivery　this　aversion　changed　to　almost　an　appetite　for　tobacco　fumes。　Panaroli　mentions　an　instance　of　sickness　caused　by　the　smell　of　sassafras；　and　there　is　also　a　record　of　a　person　who　fell　helpless　at　the　smell　of　cinnamon。　Wagner　had　a　patient　who　detested　the　odor　of　citron。　Ignorant　of　this　repugnance；　he　prescribed　a　potion　in　which　there　was　water　of　balm…mint；　of　an　odor　resembling　citron。　As　soon　as　the　patient　took　the　first　dose　he　became　greatly　agitated　and　much　nauseated；　and　this　did　not　cease　until　Wagner　repressed　the　balm…mint。　There　is　reported　the　case　of　a　young　woman；　rather　robust；　otherwise　normal；　who　always　experienced　a　desire　to　go　to　stool　after　being　subjected　to　any　nasal　irritation　sufficient　to　excite　sneezing。

It　has　already　been　remarked　that　individuals　and　animals　have　their　special　odors；　certain　of　which　are　very　agreeable　to　some　people　and　extremely　unpleasant　to　others。　Many　persons　are　not　able　to　endure　the　emanations　from　cats；　rats；　mice；　etc。；　and　the　mere　fact　of　one　of　these　animals　being　in　their　vicinity　is　enough　to　provoke　distressing　symptoms。　Mlle。　Contat；　the　celebrated　French　actress；　was　not　able　to　endure　the　odor　of　a　hare。　Stanislaus；　King　of　Poland　and　Duke　of　Lorraine；　found　it　impossible　to　tolerate　the　smell　of　a　cat。　The　Ephemerides　mentions　the　odor　of　a　little　garden…frog　as　causing　epilepsy。　Ab　Heers　mentions　a　similar　anomaly；　fainting　caused　by　the　smell　of　eels。　Habit　had　rendered　Haller　insensible　to　the　odor　of　putrefying　cadavers；　but　according　to　Zimmerman　the　odor　of　the　perspiration　of　old　people；　not　perceptible　to　others；　was　intolerable　to　him　at　a　distance　of　ten　or　twelve　paces。　He　also　had　an　extreme　aversion　for　cheese。　According　to　Dejan；　Gaubius　knew　a　man　who　was　unable　to　remain　in　a　room　with　women；　having　a　great　repugnance　to　the　female　odor。　Strange　as　it　may　seem；　some　individuals　are　incapable　of　appreciating　certain　odors。　Blumenbach　mentions　an　Englishman　whose　sense　of　smell　was　otherwise　very　acute；　but　he　was　unable　to　perceive　the　perfume　of　the　mignonette。

The　impressions　which　come　to　us　through　the　sense　of　hearing　cause　sensations　agreeable　or　disagreeable；　but　even　in　this　sense　we　see　marked　examples　of　idiosyncrasies　and　antipathies　to　various　sounds　and　tones。　In　some　individuals　the　sensations　in　one　ear　differ　from　those　of　the　other。　Everard　Home　has　cited　several　examples；　and　Heidmann　of　Vienna　has　treated　two　musicians；　one　of　whom　always　perceived　in　the　affected　ear；　during　damp　weather；　tones　an　octave　low