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anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第24章

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wed by an edema。 For fifteen months she was confined to her bed; and had never had connection with her husband during that time。 Her menses ceased; her mammae became engorged and discharged a serous lactescent fluid; her belly enlarged; and both she and her physician felt fetal movements in her abdomen。 As in her previous pregnancies; she suffered nausea。 Naturally; a suspicion as to her virtue came into her husband's mind; but when he considered that she had never left her bed for fifteen months he thought the pregnancy impossible。 Still the wife insisted that she was pregnant and was confirmed in the belief by a midwife。 The belly continued to increase; and about eleven months after the cessation of the menses she had the pains of labor。 Three doctors and an accoucheur were present; and when they claimed that the fetal head presented the husband gave up in despair; but the supposed fetus was born shortly after; and proved to be only a mass of hydatids; with not the sign of a true pregnancy。 Girard of Lyons speaks of a female who had been pregnant several times; but again experienced the signs of pregnancy。 Her mammae were engorged with a lactescent fluid; and she felt belly…movements like those of a child; but during all this time she had regular menstruation。 Her abdomen progressively increased in size; and between the tenth and eleventh months she suffered what she thought to be labor…pains。 These false pains ceased upon taking a bath; and with the disappearance of the other signs was dissipated the fallacious idea of pregnancy。

There is mentioned an instance of medicolegal interest of a young girl who showed all the signs of pregnancy and confessed to her parents that she had had commerce with a man。 The parents immediately prosecuted the seducer by strenuous legal methods; but when her ninth month came; and after the use of six baths; all the signs of pregnancy vanished。 Harvey cites several instances of pseudocyesis; and says we must not rashly determine of the the inordinate birth before the seventh or after the eleventh month。 In 1646 a woman; after having laughed heartily at the jests of an ill…bred; covetous clown; was seized with various movements and motions in her belly like those of a child; and these continued for over a month; when the courses appeared again and the movements ceased。 The woman was certain that she was pregnant。

The most noteworthy historic case of pseudocyesis is that of Queen Mary of England; or 〃Bloody Mary;〃 as she was called。 To insure the succession of a Catholic heir; she was most desirous of having a son by her consort;

Philip; and she constantly prayed and wished for pregnancy。 Finally her menses stopped; the breasts began to enlarge and became discolored around the nipples。 She had morning…sickness of a violent nature and her abdomen enlarged。 On consultation with the ladies of her court; her opinion of pregnancy was strongly confirmed。 Her favorite amusement then was to make baby…clothes and count on her fingers the months of pregnancy。 When the end of the ninth month approached; the people were awakened one night by the joyous peals of the bells of London announcing the new heir。 An ambassador had been sent to tell the Pope that Mary could feel the new life within her; and the people rushed to St。 Paul's Cathedral to listen to the venerable Archbishop of Canterbury describe the baby…prince and give thanks for his deliverance。 The spurious labor pains passed away; and after being assured that no real pregnancy existed in her case; Mary went into violent hysterics; and Philip; disgusted with the whole affair; deserted her; then commenced the persecution of the Protestants; which blighted the reign。

Putnam cites the case of a healthy brunet; aged forty; the mother of three children。 She had abrupt vertical abdominal movements; so strong as to cause her to plunge and sway from side to side。 Her breasts were enlarged; the areolae dark; and the uterus contained an elastic tumor; heavy and rolling under the hand。 Her abdomen progressively enlarged to the regular size of matured gestation; but the extrauterine pregnancy; which was supposed to have existed; was not seen at the autopsy; nothing more than an enlarged liver being found。 The movement was due to spasmodic movements of the abdominal muscles; the causes being unknown。 Madden gives the history of a primipara of twenty…eight; married one year; to whom he was called。 On entering the room he was greeted by the midwife; who said she expected the child about 8 P。M。 The woman was lying in the usual obstetric position; on the left side; groaning; crying loudly; and pulling hard at a strap fastened to the bed…post。 She had a partial cessation of menses; and had complained of tumultuous movements of the child and overflow of milk from the breasts。 Examination showed the cervix low down; the os small and circular; and no signs of pregnancy in the uterus。 The abdomen was distended with tympanites and the rectum much dilated with accumulated feces。 Dr。 Madden left her; telling her that she was not pregnant; and when she reappeared at his office in a few days; he reassured her of the nonexistence of pregnancy; she became very indignant; triumphantly squeezed lactescent fluid from her breasts; and; insisting that she could feel fetal movements; left to seek a more sympathetic accoucheur。 Underhill; in the words of Hamilton; describes a woman as 〃having acquired the most accurate description of the breeding symptoms; and with wonderful facility imagined that she had felt every one of them。〃 He found the woman on a bed complaining of great labor…pains; biting a handkerchief; and pulling on a cloth attached to her bed。 The finger on the abdomen or vulva elicited symptoms of great sensitiveness。 He told her she was not pregnant; and the next day she was sitting up; though the discharge continued; but the simulated throes of labor; which she had so graphically pictured; had ceased。

Haultain gives three examples of pseudocyesis; the first with no apparent cause; the second due to carcinoma of the uterus; while in the third there was a small fibroid in the anterior wall of the uterus。 Some cases are of purely nervous origin; associated with a purely muscular distention of the abdomen。 Clay reported a case due to ascites。 Cases of pseudocyesis in women convicted of murder are not uncommon; though most of them are imposters hoping for an extra lease of life。

Croon speaks of a child seven years old on whom he performed ovariotomy for a round…celled sarcoma。 She had been well up to May; but since then she had several times been raped by a boy; in consequence of which she had constant uterine hemorrhage。 Shortly after the first coitus her abdomen began to enlarge; the breasts to develop; and the areolae to darken。 In seven months the abdomen presented the signs of pregnancy; but the cervix was soft and patulous; the sound entered three inches and was followed by some hemorrhage。 The child was well developed; the mons was covered with hair; and all the associate symptoms tended to increase the deception。

Sympathetic Male Nausea of Pregnancy。Associated with pregnancy there are often present morning…nausea and vomiting as prominent and reliable
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