438 DISEASES CLASS IV. 3. 1. 7. 



arid those which constitute the organs of sense, whence syn- 

 cope; but lastly those which perform the vital motions, become 

 deprived of sensorial power, and death ensues. See Class I. 2. 

 1. 4. and I. 2. 1. 10. Similar to this in some epileptic fits, the 

 patient first suddenly falls down, without even endeavouring to 

 save himself by his hands, before the convulsive motions come 

 on. In this case the great exertion of some small part in con- 

 sequence of great irritation or sensation exhausts the whole sen- 

 soriai power, which was lodged in the extremities of the lo- 

 comotive nerves, for a short time, as in syncope; and as 

 soon as these muscles are again supplied, convulsions supervene 

 to relieve the painful sensation. See Class III. 1. 1. 7. 



7. Mortio a timore. Women miscarry much more frequent- 

 ly from a fright, than from bodily injury. A torpor or retro- 

 grade motion of the capillary arteries of the internal uterus is 

 probably the immediate cause of these miscarriages, owing to 

 the association of the actions of those vessels with the capillaries 

 of the skin, which are rendered torpid or retrograde by fear. 

 By this contraction of the uterine arteries, the fine vessels of the 

 placenta, which are inserted into them, are detruded, or other- 

 wise so affected, that the placenta separates at this time from 

 the uterus, and the fetus dies from want of oxygenation. 

 A strong young woman, in the fifth or sixth month of her preg- 

 nancy, who has since borne many children, went into her cellar 

 to draw beer; one of her servant-boys was hid behind a bar- 

 rel, and started out to surprise her, believing her to be the 

 maid-servant; she began to flood immediately, and miscarried 

 in a few hours. See Sect. XXXIX. 6. 5. and Class I. 2. I. 14. 



8. Hysteria a timore. Some delicate ladies are liable to fall 

 into hysteric fits from sudden fright. The peristaltic motions 

 of the bowels and stomach, and those of the oesophagus, make' 

 a part of the great circle of irritative motions with those of the 

 skin and many other membranes. Hence when the cutaneous 

 vessels become torpid from their reverse sympathy with the 

 painful ideas of fear; those of the bowels, and stomach, and 

 oesophagus, become first torpid by direct sympathy with those 

 of the skin, and then feebly and ineffectually invert the order of 

 their motions, which constitutes a paroxysm of the hysteric dis- 

 ease. See Class I. 3, 1. 10. These hysteric paroxysms are 

 sometimes followed by convulsions, which belong to Class III. 

 as they are exertions to relieve pain; and sometimes by death. 

 See Species 9. of this Genus, and Class I. 2. 1. 4. 



Indigestion from fear is to be ascribed in the same manner 

 to the torpor of the stomach, owing to its association with the 

 skin. As in Class IV, 1. 2. 5. IV. 2. 1. 



