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Sympathetic Male Nausea of Pregnancy。Associated with pregnancy there are often present morning…nausea and vomiting as prominent and reliable symptoms。 Vomiting is often so excessive as to be provocative of most serious issue and even warranting the induction of abortion。 This fact is well known and has been thoroughly discussed； but with it is associated an interesting point； the occasional association of the same symptoms sympathetically in the husband。 The belief has long been a superstition in parts of Great Britain； descending to America； and even exists at the present day。 Sir Francis Bacon has written on this subject； the substance of his argument being that certain loving husbands so sympathize with their pregnant wives that they suffer morning…sickness in their own person。 No less an authority than S。 Weir Mitchell called attention to the interesting subject of sympathetic vomiting in the husband in his lectures on nervous maladies some years ago。 He also quotes the following case associated with pseudocyesis：
〃A woman had given birth to two female children。 Some years passed and her desire for a boy was ungratified。 Then she missed her flow once； and had thrice after this； as always took place with her when pregnant； a very small but regular loss。 At the second month morning…vomiting came on as usual with her。 Meanwhile she became very fat； and as the growth was largely； in fact excessively； abdominal； she became easily sure of her condition。 She was not my patient； but her husband consulted me as to his own morning…sickness； which came on with the first occurrence of this sign in his wife； as had been the case twice before in her former pregnancies。 I advised him to leave home； and this proved effectual。 I learned later that the woman continued to gain flesh and be sick every morning until the seventh month。 Then menstruation returned； an examination was made； and when sure that there was no possibility of her being pregnant she began to lose flesh； and within a few months regained her usual size。〃
Hamill reports an instance of morning…sickness in a husband two weeks after the appearance of menstruation in the wife for the last time。 He had daily attacks； and it was not until the failure of the next menses that the woman had any other sign of pregnancy than her husband's nausea。 His nausea continued for two months； and was the same as that which he had suffered during his wife's former pregnancies； although not until both he and his wife became aware of the existence of pregnancy。 The Lancet describes a case in which the husband's nausea and vomiting； as well as that of the wife； began and ended simultaneously。 Judkins cites an instance of a man who was sick in the morning while his wife was carrying a child。 This occurred during every pregnancy； and the man related that his own father was similarly affected while his mother was in the early months of pregnancy with him； showing an hereditary predisposition。
The perverted appetites and peculiar longings of pregnant women furnish curious matter for discussion。 From the earliest times there are many such records。 Borellus cites an instance； and there are many others； of pregnant women eating excrement with apparent relish。 Tulpius； Sennert； Langius； van Swieten； a Castro； and several others report depraved appetites。 Several writers have seen avidity for human flesh in such females。 Fournier knew a woman with an appetite for the blood of her husband。 She gently cut him while he lay asleep by her side and sucked blood from the woundsa modern 〃Succubus。〃 Pare mentions the perverted appetites of pregnant women； and says that they have been known to eat plaster； ashes； dirt； charcoal； flour； salt； spices； to drink pure vinegar； and to indulge in all forms of debauchery。 Plot gives the case of a woman who would gnaw and eat all the linen off her bed。 Hufeland's Journal records the history of a case of a woman of thirty…two； who had been married ten years； who acquired a strong taste for charcoal； and was ravenous for it。 It seemed to cheer her and to cure a supposed dyspepsia。 She devoured enormous quantities； preferring hard…wood charcoal。 Bruyesinus speaks of a woman who had a most perverted appetite for her own milk； and constantly drained her breasts； Krafft…Ebing cites a similar case。 Another case is that of a pregnant woman who had a desire for hot and pungent articles of food； and who in a short time devoured a pound of pepper。 Scheidemantel cites a case in which the perverted appetite； originating in pregnancy； became permanent； but this is not the experience of most observers。 The pregnant wife of a farmer in Hassfort…on…the…Main ate the excrement of her husband。
Many instances could be quoted； some in which extreme cases of polydipsia and bulimia developed； these can be readily attributed to the increased call for liquids and food。 Other cases of diverse new emotions can be recalled； such as lasciviousness； dirty habits； perverted thoughts； and； on the other hand； extreme piety； chastity； and purity of the mind。 Some of the best…natured women are when pregnant extremely cross and irritable and many perversions of disposition are commonly noticed in pregnancy。 There is often a longing for a particular kind of food or dish for which no noticeable desire had been displayed before。
Maternal Impressions。Another curious fact associated with pregnancy is the apparent influence of the emotions of the mother on the child in utero。 Every one knows of the popular explanation of many birth…marks； their supposed resemblance to some animal or object seen by the mother during pregnancy； etc。 The truth of maternal impressions； however； seems to be more firmly established by facts of a substantial nature。 There is a natural desire to explain any abnormality or anomaly of the child as due to some incident during the period of the mother's pregnancy； and the truth is often distorted and the imagination heavily drawn upon to furnish the satisfactory explanation。 It is the customary speech of the dime…museum lecturer to attribute the existence of some 〃freak〃 to an episode in the mother's pregnancy。 The poor 〃Elephant…man〃 firmly believed his peculiarity was due to the fact that his mother while carrying him in utero was knocked down at the circus by an elephant。 In some countries the exhibition of monstrosities is forbidden because of the supposed danger of maternal impression。 The celebrated 〃Siamese Twins〃 for this reason were forbidden to exhibit themselves for quite a period in France。
We shall cite only a few of the most interesting cases from medical literature。 Hippocrates saved the honor of a princess； accused of adultery with a negro because she bore a black child； by citing it as a case of maternal impression； the husband of the princess having placed in her room a painting of a negro； to the view of which she was subjected during the whole of her pregnancy。 Then； again； in the treatise 〃De Superfoetatione〃 there occurs the following distinct statement： 〃If a pregnant woman has a longing to eat earth or coals； and eats of them； the infant which is born carries on its head the mark of these things。〃 This statement； however； occurs in a work which is not ment