Account of a singular Coniiulshe Affection. 91 



and sudden groan, or rather a mournful shout, as if 

 he were instantly struck with some dreadful pain. 



I do not recollect (of late) to have heard of, or to 

 have seen, any who have had the trembling part of the 

 exercise: but to that, with the others, has succeeded 

 what has been called the Jerks. 



This consists in a sudden inclination, or reclining, 

 of the shoulders, and is so quick, that the head appears 

 to move too slow for the shoulders; the primary mo- 

 tion appearing to be in the breast. This is common to 

 both sexes, but with this difference, that men seldom 

 have more than one jerk, in several minutes, or per- 

 haps hours or weeks; whereas, a woman will frequently 

 continue a repetition of that motion as quick, or nearly 

 as quick, as seconds, for ten or fifteen minutes, reclin- 

 ing backwards as far as her feet, or soitie other obsta- 

 cle will permit her, and bending so far forwards, as al- 

 most to touch the floor with her head. The motion, 

 in this case, is not, in general, so violent in women as 

 in men ; except the former be peculiarly strong and 

 robust. 



Women, also, have, not unfrequently, the single 

 sudden jerk, which is usually accompanied with a loud 

 groan, or shout. 



Numbers of both sexes have, likewise, taken what 

 is called the Running Exercise. That is, the person 

 will start and run with uncommon swiftness (having 

 the eyes closed), for perhaps fifty or one hundred yards, 



