Catalepsy. 37 



Hering has recorded the disease in the horse, L,andel in the ox, 

 and lyeisering in the prairie wolf. The hypnotic form has been 

 shown in cats, chickens, and Guinea pigs. The serpent charm- 

 ing of the Indian dervishes and similar effects on frogs and cra}^- 

 fish have been attributed to hypnotic catalepsy. 



Causes. Strong mental emotions and diseases which profound- 

 ly affect tlie nervous system have been adduced as causes (fear, 

 exciteinent, chills). Indigestible food has even been charged 

 with causing it. There is undoubtedly, to begin with, a specially 

 susceptible nervous system, and hence it is liable to prove heredi- 

 tary, and in man to appear as a form of hj'.steria, or to alternate 

 in the same family with epileps}', chorea, alcoholism, o]>ium ad- 

 diction and other neurosis. 



H3^pnotism as a cause is claimed by various writers. Azam 

 says that in the fairs in the South of France, jugglers hypnotize 

 cocks by placing the bill on a board, on which the}^ trace a black 

 line passing between the two feet of the bird. Cadeac adds that 

 Father Kircher, in the 17th century, employed a similar method 

 to put fowls to sleep. Alix put cats to sleep by securing them 

 firmly, and then looking steadily into their eyes. The condition 

 attained varies according to the degree of the sleep, the will being 

 dominated first, and later, consciousness of external objects is lost. 

 Hj'pnotism, however, appears to be difficult and micertain in the 

 lower animals, in keeping with the limited development of intel- 

 ligence and will, as compared with the human being. Cadeac 

 .states that the very old and the very young are completely refrac- 

 tory to hypnotizing influences. 



Lesions. No constant pathological changes are found, though 

 different ner\'ous lesions may serve to rouse the disease in a pre- 

 disposed subject. Frohner found in the affected muscles granu- 

 lar swelling, fatty' degeneration, haemorrhages, and wax}- (amy- 

 loid) degeneration of the cardiac muscles, corresponding to what 

 has been found in tetanus ; also haemorrhages on the stomach and 

 intestines. 



Symptoms. The leading objective symptom is the tonic con- 

 dition of the muscles b}' which a perfect balance is established and 

 maintained between the flexors and extensors so that the affected 

 part maintains the same position which it had when the attack 

 began, or any other position which may be given to it during the 



