The sympathetic irritation of the uterus, in some females produces extraordinary phenomena of this kind, from simple desire to the most furious craving, and from mere caprice to actual insanity. There is no doubt but that many of these unusual desires, or longings as they are called, are either produced or much aggravated by the imagination of the patient, and frequently would never be experienced at all, if the idea was not suggested by other people having had the same. Custom and imitation are very powerful in such cases, particularly when the nervous sensibility is much exalted. Still the most singular aberrations of this kind will often arise without any such adventitious aid, and the fact should be borne in mind, so that these temporary vagaries may be regarded with proper charity and forbearance.
Some females will entirely change in their dispositions at these times, the most amiable and mild becoming positively ill-natured and malicious;—the gentle will turn headstrong, the haughty and proud will become humble, and the gay will become melancholy, or the sad will madly seek every kind of gaiety. Such things however should never be remembered, nor be brought up against them afterwards, for truly at such times they know not what they do!
Women have been known while in this state, to become thievish, or to have an irresistible propensity to burn or kill. Some have even been known to exhibit great talents for music or poetry, though ordinarily without any capacity for such things. Some will suddenly exhibit a most extraordinary intellect, while others will become quite silly. A medical writer tells us an instance of one female who always had an excellent sound judgment while pregnant, but no memory, while in her ordinary state she had a poor judgment but a most extraordinary good memory. The celebrated Baudelocque gives an account of another who could scarcely eat anything but what she stole, while going to market; and another writer mentions a lady who longed till she was almost delirious to bite a piece out of a baker's shoulder, who worked opposite her window. There is even an account of one who longed to eat some of her husband, whom she dearly loved, and who actually killed him to satisfy her appetite, and then salted pieces of the body to keep for future use. A writer named Vives also tells us of a female whose husband paid a large sum of money for her to be allowed to bite a young man's neck, it being evident that she would be nearly certain to miscarry unless so gratified. In the year 1816, at Mons, in France, an unfortunate woman in this condition was seized with an irresistible impulse to destroy her children, and actually drowned three of them, and herself afterwards. She had previously sent a poisoned cake also to one at school, but fortunately it was not eaten.
Generally speaking all these things pass away with delivery, if not before, unless it be actual insanity, which sometimes remains. All that can be done is to attend strictly to the general health, keep the skin, bowels, and stomach, in good action, and remove all depressing or irritating circumstances. If there be a propensity to anything decidedly injurious or dangerous, the patient must be strictly watched, but without its being perceived or known by her, for fear of exciting suspicion in those who would be disposed to be cunningly secret or revengeful. Proper diet, regular bathing, and out-door exercise often correct many of these things.
HÆMOPTYSIS, HÆMATEMESIS AND EPISTAXIS.
These three terms mean spitting of blood, vomiting of blood, and bleeding from the nose, all of which frequently occur during pregnancy.
Spitting of blood is most usually observed in nervous women, and in those of a full habit. It is caused partly by sympathetic irritation, and partly by the womb pressing upwards against the diaphragm and lessening the size of the chest, which deranges the circulation in the lungs, and causes rupture of their blood vessels. The premonitory symptoms are pains round the waist, cold extremities, creeping of the skin, and a sensation of anxiety or depression round the heart. The attack begins by difficulty of breathing, heat in the chest, and dry cough, followed by spitting up more or less bloody frothy mucus; all which symptoms are much increased by violent exercise, or a hot atmosphere. In ordinary cases a mere spitting of blood need occasion no great alarm, unless attended by symptoms of inflammation, or unless the patient has had cough, and other indications of pulmonary derangement before conception.
In hæmatemesis the blood is vomited from the stomach, and is in black clots, frequently mixed with the food, or bile, while that which comes from the lungs in spitting on the contrary is bright red, and quite fresh. In vomiting of blood also, there is seldom any cough or exertion of any kind.
The treatment of spitting of blood must be nearly the same as for many other derangements already described. When there is a full habit, the patient must live low, keep the bowels free, and the skin in good order, and avoid all agitation of mind or over exertion of body. An Opium pill occasionally will be useful, or a few drops of laudanum. The cough must be combatted in the way recommended in my previous article on Cough. Lemonade or tamarind tea, with some Syrup of Poppies added, may be freely drunk, or some of the black currant root tea. The treatment of Hæmatemesis is precisely the same. Occasionally however the blood will pass into the intestines and occasion colic, and then it must be removed by administering an enema of starch and castor oil, or a little manna may be taken.
Epistaxis, or bleeding from the nose, is much more frequent than either of the preceding, but is seldom of much consequence. In many cases in fact it is highly beneficial, as it relieves the head from pressure, and thus obviates many inconveniences. If it continue too long, or becomes excessive, it may generally be arrested by putting cold wet cloths between the eyes, and on the cheeks, while the head is kept elevated. The feet and hands should be kept warm, and the air breathed should be as cold as possible. In extreme cases, the nostrils may be plugged with bits of sponge, or cotton, or some powdered alum may be snuffed up them. The best plan is to raise the hands above the head and put something very cold, as a lump of ice for instance, or a piece of cold iron, between the shoulders; this seldom fails.