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All Robert Boyle's philosophy could not make him endure the sight of a spider； although he had no such aversion to toads； venomous snakes； etc。 Pare mentions a man who fainted at the sight of an eel； and another who had convulsions at the sight of a carp。 There is a record of a young lady in France who fainted on seeing a boiled lobster。 Millingen cites the case of a man who fell into convulsions whenever he saw a spider。 A waxen one was made； which equally terrified him。 When he recovered； his error was pointed out to him； and the wax figure was placed in his hand without causing dread； and henceforth the living insect no longer disturbed him。 Amatus Lusitanus relates the case of a monk who fainted when he beheld a rose； and never quitted his cell when that flower was in bloom。 Scaliger； the great scholar； who had been a soldier a considerable portion of his life； confesses that he could not look on a water…cress without shuddering； and remarks： 〃I； who despise not only iron； but even thunderbolts； who in two sieges （in one of which I commanded） was the only one who did not complain of the food as unfit and horrible to eat； am seized with such a shuddering horror at the sight of a water…cress that I am forced to go away。〃 One of his children was in the same plight as regards the inoffensive vegetable； cabbage。 Scaliger also speaks of one of his kinsmen who fainted at the sight of a lily。 Vaughheim； a great huntsman of Hanover； would faint at the sight of a roasted pig。 Some individuals have been disgusted at the sight of eggs。 There is an account of a sensible man who was terrified at the sight of a hedgehog； and for two years was tormented by a sensation as though one was gnawing at his bowels。 According to Boyle； Lord Barrymore； a veteran warrior and a person of strong mind； swooned at the sight of tansy。 The Duke d'Epernon swooned on beholding a leveret； although a hare did not produce the same effect。 Schenck tells of a man who swooned at the sight of pork。 The Ephemerides contains an account of a person who lost his voice at the sight of a crab； and also cites cases of antipathy to partridges； a white hen； to a serpent； and to a toad。 Lehman speaks of an antipathy to horses； and in his observations Lyser has noticed aversion to the color purple。 It is a strange fact that the three greatest generals of recent years； Wellington； Napoleon； and Roberts； could never tolerate the sight of a cat； and Henry III of France could not bear this animal in his room。 We learn of a Dane of herculean frame who had a horror of cats。 He was asked to a supper at which； by way of a practical joke； a live cat was put on the table in a covered dish。 The man began to sweat and shudder without knowing why； and when the cat was shown he killed his host in a paroxysm of terror。 Another man could not even see the hated form even in a picture without breaking into a cold sweat and feeling a sense of oppression about the heart。 Quercetanus and Smetius mention fainting at the sight of cats。 Marshal d'Abret was supposed to be in violent fear of a pig。
As to idiosyncrasies of the sense of touch； it is well known that some people cannot handle velvet or touch the velvety skin of a peach without having disagreeable and chilly sensations come over them。 Prochaska knew a man who vomited the moment he touched a peach； and many people； otherwise very fond of this fruit； are unable to touch it。 The Ephemerides speaks of a peculiar idiosyncrasy of skin in the axilla of a certain person； which if tickled would provoke vomiting。 It is occasionally stated in the older writings that some persons have an idiosyncrasy as regards the phases of the sun and moon。 Baillou speaks of a woman who fell unconscious at sunset and did not recover till it reappeared on the horizon。 The celebrated Chancellor Bacon； according to Mead； was very delicate； and was accustomed to fall into a state of great feebleness at every moon…set without any other imaginable cause。 He never recovered from his swooning until the moon reappeared。
Nothing is more common than the idiosyncrasy which certain people display for certain foods。 The trite proverb； 〃What is one man's meat is another man's poison；〃 is a genuine truth； and is exemplified by hundreds of instances。 Many people are unable to eat fish without subsequent disagreeable symptoms。 Prominent among the causes of urticaria are oysters； crabs； and other shell fish； strawberries； raspberries； and other fruits。 The abundance of literature on this subject makes an exhaustive collection of data impossible； and only a few of the prominent and striking instances can be reported。
Amatus Lusitanus speaks of vomiting and diarrhea occurring each time a certain Spaniard ate meat。 Haller knew a person who was purged violently by syrup of roses。 The son of one of the friends of Wagner would vomit immediately after the ingestion of any substance containing honey。 Bayle has mentioned a person so susceptible to honey that by a plaster of this substance placed upon the skin this untoward effect was produced。 Whytt knew a woman who was made sick by the slightest bit of nutmeg。 Tissot observed vomiting in one of his friends after the ingestion of the slightest amount of sugar。 Ritte mentions a similar instance。 Roose has seen vomiting produced in a woman by the slightest dose of distilled water of linden。 There is also mentioned a person in whom orange…flower water produced the same effect。 Dejean cites a case in which honey taken internally or applied externally acted like poison。 It is said that the celebrated Haen would always have convulsions after eating half a dozen strawberries。 Earle and Halifax attended a child for kidney…irritation produced by strawberries； and this was the invariable result of the ingestion of this fruit。 The authors personally know of a family the male members of which for several generations could not eat strawberries without symptoms of poisoning。 The female members were exempt from the idiosyncrasy。 A little boy of this family was killed by eating a single berry。 Whytt mentions a woman of delicate constitution and great sensibility of the digestive tract in whom foods difficult of digestion provoked spasms； which were often followed by syncopes。 Bayle describes a man who vomited violently after taking coffee。 Wagner mentions a person in whom a most insignificant dose of manna had the same effect。 Preslin speaks of a woman who invariably had a hemorrhage after swallowing a small quantity of vinegar。 According to Zimmerman； some people are unable to wash their faces on account of untoward symptoms。 According to Ganbius； the juice of a citron applied to the skin of one of his acquaintances produced violent rigors。
Brasavolus says that Julia； wife of Frederick； King of Naples； had such an aversion to meat that she could not carry it to her mouth without fainting。 The anatomist Gavard was not able to eat apples without convulsions and vomiting。 It is said that Erasmus was made ill by the ingestion of fish； but this same philosopher； who was cured of a malady by laughter； expressed his appreciation by an elegy on the folly。 There is a record of a person who could not eat almonds without a scarlet rash immediately appearing