LUNAR INFLUENCES. 



connexion with the lunar phases. He says that he himself 

 observed in the year 1760, a patient afflicted with a scald head 

 (teigne), who, during the decline of the moon, suffered from a 

 gradual increase of the malady, which continued until the epoch 

 of the new moon, when it had covered the face and breast, and 

 produced insufferable itching. As the moon increased, these 

 symptoms disappeared by degrees ; the face became free from 

 the eruption ; but the same effects were reproduced after the 

 full of the moon. These periods of the disease continued for 

 three months. 



Menuret also stated that he witnessed a similar correspondence 

 between the lunar phases and the distemper of the itch ; but the 

 circumstances were the reverse of those in the former case ; the 

 malady attaining its maximum at the full of the moon, and its 

 minimum at the new moon. 



Without disputing the accuracy of these statements, or throwing 

 any suspicion on the good faith of the physician who has made 

 them, we may observe that such facts prove nothing except the 

 fortuitous coincidence. If the relation of cause and effect had 

 existed between the lunar phases and the phenomena of these 

 distempers, the same cause would have continued to produce the 

 same effect in like circumstances ; and we should not be left to 

 depend for the proof of lunar influence on the statements of 

 isolated cases, occurring under the observation of a physician 

 who was himself a believer. 



Maurice Hoffman relates a case which came under his own 

 practice, of a young woman, the daughter of an epileptic patient. 

 The abdomen of this girl became inflated every month as the 

 moon increased, and regularly resumed its natural form with the 

 decline of the moon. 



Now, if this statement of Hoffman were accompanied by all 

 the necessary details, and if, also, we were assured that this 

 strange effect continued to be produced for any considerable 

 length of time, the relation of cause and effect between the 

 phases of the moon and the malady of the girl could not legiti- 

 mately be denied ; but receiving the statement in so vague a 

 form, and not being assured that the effect continued to be 

 produced beyond a few months, the legitimate conclusion at 

 which we must arrive is, that this is another example of for- 

 tuitous coincidence, and may be classed with the fulfilment of 

 dreams, prodigies, &c., &c. 



As may naturally be expected, nervous diseases are those 



which have presented the most frequent indications of a relation 



with the lunar phases. The celebrated Mead was a strong 



believer, not only in the lunar influence, but in the influence of 



12ti 



