1826.] On Hypochondriasts. 43 
endowed, with a marked sensibility ; this is particularly the case with 
regard to touch, the slightest degree either of heat or cold, producing 
strong impressions—in some, the integuments become preternaturally 
tender,,,and) the patient even complains of exquisite pain in the hair. 
.. The; whims and phantasies of hypochondriacs are very numerous, and 
many of ‘them such, as to provoke a smile, even when we most pity 
the subjects of such strange delusions. Some describe the sensation of 
@ great explosion, as of a piece of fire-arms in the head, chest, or 
abdomen; while others imagine that they feel the movements of some 
livingeanimal within them. One lady thought her skin had become 
rough and scaly like that of a carp, an impression which she removed at 
will by calling to her assistance the sense of touch. Greding mentions 
the case of a medical man who was impressed with the belief that his 
stomach was filled with frogs, which had been spawning ever since he 
bathed when a boy in a pool where there were a few tadpoles. The life 
of this: unfortunate man was spent in travelling from place to place, to 
consult the most eminent physicians concerning this imaginary evil.— 
“He argued himself,” says M. Greding, “into a great passion in my pre- 
sence, and then asked me if I did not hear the frog-croak.” Marcellus 
Donatus mentions the case of a baker of France, who imagined himself 
agreat lump of butter, and durst not sit in the sun or near a fire for 
fear of being melted—rather an unhappy phantasy by-the-bye for a 
baker. Zimmerman met with an individual who fancied himself a 
barleycorn, and did not venture to go abroad lest he should be picked 
up and swallowed by the first sparrow that espied him. 
One of the most annoying and vexatious absurdities into which hypo- 
chondriacs are led, is the degree of vacillation in every purpose, and 
the deliberation which precedes the most unimportant actions; thus Dr. 
Reid mentions that he called one day upon a young friend who had in- 
quired his health by the sincerity of his application. It was afternoon, 
but he was still in bed, not having been able to decide whether he 
should wear his small-clothes or pantaloons ; having renewed his reason- 
ing upon this important matter, he at length determined in favour of the 
latter; but he had not been dressed many minutes before he changed 
his mind, and during the rest of the day wore breeches. From these 
and similar instances we acquire the fidelity of the picture of an hy- 
pochondriac, as given by Moliere in his “ Malade Imaginaire,” when he 
makes Argan say, “Monsieur Puyon, m’a dit de me promener le matin 
dans ma chamber douze allées et douze venues, mais j’ai oublié 4 
lui demander si c’est en long ou en large.” No strength of mind or 
extent of cultivation seems capable of protecting us against these 
ludicrous imaginations. Even Pascal, remarkable as he was for the depth 
and:clearness, as well as piety of his mind, was yet unable to conquer 
the force of hallucination. He fancied himself always placed at the 
edge of an abyss, into which he was constantly afraid of falling, and 
it was only by pushing a chair over the supposed verge of the precipice 
and finding it did not fall that he was able to undeceive himself. This 
experiment he is said to have always had recourse to before he ventured 
to sit down when labouring under a fit of this disease. This brings to my 
mind the case of an individual who had an equal fear of sitting down, 
_ but for a very different cause: it has occurred to the writer to know 
of a gentleman who supposed his a3 nether bulk” to be made of glass, and 
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