anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第219部分

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Anosmia；　or　loss　of　smell；　is　the　most　common　disorder　of　olfaction；　it　may　be　caused　by　cortical　lesions；　olfactory　nerve…changes；　congenital　absence；　or　over…stimulation　of　the　nerves；　or　it　may　be　a　symptom　of　hysteria。


Ogle；　after　mentioning　several　cases　of　traumatic　anosmia；　suggests　that　a　blow　on　the　occiput　is　generally　the　cause。　Legg　reports　a　confirmatory　case；　but　of　six　cases　mentioned　by　Notta　two　were　caused　by　a　blow　on　the　crown　of　the　head；　and　two　on　the　right　ear。　The　prognosis　in　traumatic　anosmia　is　generally　bad；　although　there　is　a　record　of　a　man　who　fell　while　working　on　a　wharf；　striking　his　head　and　producing　anosmia　with　partial　loss　of　hearing　and　sight；　and　who　for　several　weeks　neither　smelt　nor　tasted；　but　gradually　recovered。

Mitchell　reports　a　case　of　a　woman　of　forty　who；　after　an　injury　to　her　nose　from　a　fall；　suffered　persistent　headache　and　loss　of　smell。　Two　years　later；　at　bedtime；　or　on　going　to　sleep；　she　had　a　sense　of　horrible　odors；　which　were　fecal　or　animal；　and　most　intense　in　nature。　The　case　terminated　in　melancholia；　with　delirium　of　persecution；　during　which　the　disturbance　of　smell　passed　away。

Anosmia　has　been　noticed　in　leukoderma　and　allied　disturbances　of　pigmentation。　Ogle　mentions　a　negro　boy　in　Kentucky　whose　sense　of　smell　decreased　as　the　leukoderma　extended。　Influenza；　causing　adhesions　of　the　posterior　pillars　of　the　fauces；　has　given　rise　to　anosmia。

Occasionally　overstimulation　of　the　olfactory　system　may　lead　to　anosmia。　Graves　mentions　a　captain　of　the　yeomanry　corps　who　while　investigating　the　report　that　500　pikes　were　concealed　at　the　bottom　of　a　cesspool　in　one　of　the　city　markets　superintended　the　emptying　of　the　cesspool；　at　the　bottom　of　which　the　arms　were　found。　He　suffered　greatly　from　the　abominable　effluvia；　and　for　thirty…six　years　afterward　he　remained　completely　deprived　of　the　sense　of　smell。

In　a　discussion　upon　anosmia　before　the　Medico…Chirurgical　Association　of　London；　January　25；　1870；　there　was　an　anosmic　patient　mentioned　who　was　very　fond　of　the　bouquet　of　moselle；　and　Carter　mentioned　that　he　knew　a　man　who　had　lost　both　the　senses　of　taste　and　smell；　but　who　claimed　that　he　enjoyed　putrescent　meat。　Leared　spoke　of　a　case　in　an　epileptic　affected　with　loss　of　taste　and　smell；　and　whose　paroxysms　were　always　preceded　by　an　odor　of　peach…blossoms。

Hyperosmia　is　an　increase　in　the　perception　of　smell；　which　rarely　occurs　in　persons　other　than　the　hysteric　and　insane。　It　may　be　cultivated　as　a　compensatory　process；　as　in　the　blind；　or　those　engaged　in　particular　pursuits；　such　as　tea…tasting。　Parosmia　is　a　rare　condition；　most　often　a　symptom　of　hysteria　or　neurasthenia；　in　which　everything　smells　of　a　similar；　peculiar；　offensive　odor。　Hallucinations　of　odor　are　sometimes　noticed　in　the　insane。　They　form　most　obstinate　cases；　when　the　hallucination　gives　rise　to　imaginary　disagreeable；　personal　odors。

Perversion　of　the　tactile　sense；　or　wrong　reference　to　the　sensation　of　pain；　has　occasionally　been　noticed。　The　Ephemerides　records　a　case　in　which　there　was　the　sense　of　two　objects　from　a　single　touch　on　the　hypochondrium。　Weir　Mitchell　remarks　that　soldiers　often　misplace　the　location　of　pain　after　injuries　in　battle。　He　also　mentions　several　cases　of　wrong　reference　of　the　sensation　of　pain。　These　instances　cannot　be　called　reflex　disturbances；　and　are　most　interesting。　In　one　case　the　patient　felt　the　pain　from　a　urethral　injection　in　gonorrhea；　on　the　top　of　the　head。　In　another　an　individual　let　an　omnibus…window　fall　on　his　finger；　causing　but　brief　pain　in　the　finger；　but　violent　pains　in　the　face　and　neck　of　that　side。　Mitchell　also　mentions　a　naturalist　of　distinction　who　had　a　small　mole　on　one　leg　which；　if　roughly　rubbed　or　pinched；　invariably　seemed　to　cause　a　sharp　pain　in　the　chin。

Nostalgia　is　the　name　generally　given　to　that　variety　of　melancholia　in　which　there　is　an　intense　longing　for　home　or　country。　This　subject　has　apparently　been　overlooked　in　recent　years；　but　in　the　olden　times　it　was　extensively　discussed。　Swinger；　Harderus；　Tackius；　Guerbois；　Hueber；　Therrin；　Castellanau；　Pauquet；　and　others　have　written　extensively　upon　this　theme。　It　is　said　that　the　inhabitants　of　cold　countries；　such　as　the　Laplanders　and　the　Danes；　are　the　most　susceptible　to　this　malady。　For　a　long　time　many　writers　spoke　of　the　frequency　and　intensity　of　nostalgia　among　the　Swiss。　Numerous　cases　of　suicide　from　this　affliction　have　been　noticed　among　these　hardy　mountaineers；　particularly　on　hearing　the　mountain…song　of　their　homes；　〃Ranz　des　vaches。〃　This　statement；　which　is　an　established　fact；　is　possibly　due　to　the　social　constitution　of　the　Swiss　mountaineers；　who　are　brought　up　to　a　solitary　home　life；　and　who　universally　exhibit　great　attachment　to　and　dependence　upon　their　parents　and　immediate　family。　In　the　European　armies　nostalgia　has　always　been　a　factor　in　mortality。　In　the　Army　of　the　Moselle；　and　in　Napoleon's　Alpine　Army；　the　terrible　ravages　of　suicide　among　the　young　Bretons　affected　with　nostalgia　have　been　recorded；　it　is　among　the　French　people　that　most　of　the　investigation　on　this　subject　has　been　done。　Moreau　speaks　of　a　young　soldier　in　a　foreign　country　and　army　who　fell　into　a　most　profound　melancholy　when；　by　accident；　he　heard　his　native　tongue。　According　to　Swinger　and　Sauvages　women　are　less　subject　to　nostalgia　than　men。　Nostalgia　has　been　frequently　recorded　in　hospital　wards。　Percy　and　Laurent　have　discussed　this　subject　very　thoroughly；　and　cite　several　interesting　cases　among　emigrants；　soldiers；　marines；　etc。　Hamilton　speaks　of　a　recruit　who　became　prostrated　by　longing　for　his　home　in　Wales。　He　continually　raved；　but　recovered　from　his　delirium　when　assured　by　the　hospital　authorities　of　his　forthcoming　furlough。　Taylor　records　two　cases　of　fatal　nostalgia。　One　of　the　victims　was　a　Union　refugee　who　went　to　Kentucky　from　his　home　in　Tennessee。　He　died　talking　about　and　pining　for　his　home。　The　second　patient　was　a　member　of　a　regiment　of　colored　infantry；　he　died　after　repeatedly　pining　for　his　old　home。

Animals　are　sometimes　subject　to　nostalgia；　and　instances　are　on　record　in　which　purchasers　have　been　compelled　to　return　them　to　the　old　home　on　account　of　their　literal　home…sickness。　Oswald　tells　of　a　bear　who；　in　the　presence　of　food；　committed　suicide　by　starvation。

Hypochondria　consists　of　a　mild　form　of　insanity　in　which　there　is　a　tendency　to　exaggerate　the　various　sensations　of　the　body　and　their　importance；　their　exaggeration　being　at　times　so　great　as　to　amount　to　actual　delusion。　All　sorts　of　symptoms　are　dwelt　upon；　and　the　doctor　is　pestered　to　the　extreme　by　the　morbid　fears　of　the　patient。

Morbid　fears　or　impulses；　called　by　the　Germans　Zwangsvorstellungen；　or　Zwangshandlungen；　and　by　the　French；　peurs　maladies；　have　only　been　quite　recently　studied；　and　form　most　interesting　cases　of　minor　insanity。　Gelineau　has　made　extensive　investigations　in　this　subject；　and　free　reference　has　been　made　to　his　work　in　the　preparation　of　the　following　material。

Aichmophobia　is　a　name　given　by　the　French　to　the　fear　of　the　sight　of　any　sharp…pointed　instrument；　such　as　a　pin；　needle；　fish…spine；　or　naked　sword。　An　illustrious　sufferer　of　this　'phobia　was　James　I　of　England；　who　could　never　tolerate　the　appearance　of　a　drawn　sword。　Gelineau　reports　an　interesting　case　of　a　female　who　contracted　this　malady　after　the　fatigue　of　lactation　of　two　children。　She　could　not　tolerate　knives；　forks；　or　any　pointed　instruments　on　the　table；　and　was　apparently　rendered　helpless　in　needle…work　on　account　of　her　inability　to　look　at　the　pointed　needle。

Agoraphobia　is　dread　of　an　open　space；　and　is　sometimes　called　Kenophobia。　The　celebrated　philosopher　Pascal　was　supposed　to　have　been　affected　with　this　fear。　In　agoraphobia　the　patient　dreads　to　go　across　a　street　or　into　a　field；　is　seized　with　an　intense　feeling　of　fright；　and　has　to　run　to　a　wall　or　fall　down；　being　quite　unable　to　proceed。　There　is　violent　palpitation；　and　a　feeling　of　constriction　is　experienced。　According　to　Suckling；　pallor　and　profuse　perspiration　are　usually　present；　but　there　is　no　vertigo；　confusion　of　mind；　or　loss　of　consciousness。　The　patient　is　quite　conscious　of　the　foolishness　of　the　fears；　but　is　unable　to　overcome　them。　The　will　is　in　abeyance　and　is　quite　subservient　to　the　violent　emotional　disturbances。　Gray　mentions　a　patient　who　could　not　go　over　the　Brooklyn　Bridge　or　indeed　over　any　bridge　without　terror。　Roussel　speaks　of　a　married　woman　who　had　never　had　any　children；　and　who　was　apparently　healthy；　but　who　for　the　past　six　months　had　not　been　able　to　put　her　head　out　of　the　window　or　go　upon　a　balcony。　When　she　descended　into　the　street　she　was　unable　to　traverse　the　open　spaces。　Chazarin　mentions　a　case　in　a　woman　of　fifty；　without　any　other　apparent　symptom　of　diathesis。　Gelineau　quotes　a　case　of　agoraphobia；　secondary　to　rheumatism；　in　a　woman　of　thirty…nine。　There　is　a　corresponding　fear　of　high　places　often　noticed；　called　acrophobia；　so　that　many　people　dare　not　trust　themselves　on　high　buildings　or　other　eminences。

Thalassophobia　is　the　fear　of　the　view　of　immense　spaces　or　uninterrupted　expanses。　The　Emperor　Heraclius；　at　the　age　of　fifty…nine；　had　an　insurmountable　fear　of　the　view　of　the　sea；　and　it　is　said　that　when　he　crossed　the　Bosphorus　a　bridge　of　boats　was　formed；　garnished　on　both　sides　with　plants　and　trees；　obscuring　all　view　of　the　water　over　which　the　Emperor　peacefully　traversed　on　horseback。　The　moralist　Nicole；　was　equally　a　thalassophobe；　and　always　had　to　close　his　eyes　at　the　sight　of　a　large　sheet　of　water；　when　he　was　seized　with　trembling　in　all　his　limbs。　Occasionally　some　accident　in　youth　has　led　to　an　aversion　to　traversing　large　sheets　of　water；　and　there　have　been　instances　in　which　persons　who　have　fallen　into　the　water　in　childhood　have　all　their　lives　had　a　terror　of　crossing　bridges。

Claustrophobia　is　the　antithesis　of　agoraphobia。　Raggi　describes　a　case　of　such　a　mental　condition　in　a　patient　who　could　not　endure　being　within　an　enclosure　or　small　space。　Suckling　mentions　a　patient　of　fifty…six　who　suffered　from　palpitation　when　shut　in　a