Case.—Nymphomania, with nocturnal involuntary orgasm. Miss U.—She was aged 19, very small in stature, only weighing 90 pounds, of very respectable family and herself perfectly respectable. She was refused by her probable “intended,” who had discovered signs entirely unnatural for her, in whom he had placed implicit trust. When the condition was first manifested in her, the intended, not thinking of anything wrong on her part, attempted to gratify her morbid erotic desire by coition, which only made her, as he said, “nearly crazy.” She had heretofore been modest and distant, but now she was on his lap, and all over him or leading him to a place of decumbiture. When she visited my office, and imparted to me her whole confidence, my first treatment toward her was so rigid and distant that my examination revealed the parts before orgasm had taken place; but as soon as I touched the nymphæ; they became lubricated with a thin viscid fluid which was profuse. At first the clitoris and nymphæ were red, dry and hot; but as my digit came in contact with the soft parts, she forgot the rough treatment and my cold conduct toward her, which I had assumed to prevent, if possible, her venereal crisis, and she became unmanageable for the time, until she had passed three or four orgasms, as I supposed, one immediately following the other, when she became more governable. To carefully portray in words what she said and did would be shocking to a fastidious doctor. With a speculum in the vagina the os uteri would contract and dilate in alternation, and undergo orgasms in rapid succession, with only a few seconds interval. She begged of me not to withdraw the instrument, but when I had completed my examination she was partially exhausted and docile. I could discover a mucoid fluid emitting from the os uteri which evolved a strong venereal odor.
She informed me that she had voluptuous dreams nightly—as many as three in a night. Her figure is small and round, eyes black, hair coal black, countenance very sallow and chlorotic. She seemed to know that this condition was not right, but her modesty was entirely gone, when in company with a male. The presence of a woman restrained her. Her own mother had not determined the true nature of her difficulty, only noticed that something was peculiar with her daughter. The patient had judgment enough left to go out of the room and isolate herself when a man would come about. The advent of this disease she says was first known by a peculiar thrill at the sight of a male, which became more aggravated from day to day. Now, one year has she suffered from this intolerable mania.
To pass over and not give the treatment would leave the case quite incomplete.
[Treatment.]—I directed monobromated camph., in two gr. pills, one every 4 hours, with formula No. 1, as directed; ice-water to the vulva nights, with daily applications of Faradisation by placing a wetted sponge upon a chair with the patient seated upon it, to which the negative pole is attached; used the positive in my left hand, with my right hand applied to the head and down the spine. Improvement took place from the beginning, and in forty days she was quite herself. She was improved in flesh, color and strength. In two months she was so modest that I could scarce gather courage to ask her if she was yet troubled with any signs of her old affliction. I could not obtain consent to make another physical examination, and she remains well, but is continuing to take the medicine, from formula No. 1. She has strength of will, I am informed by her “intended,” to refuse any degree of proximity. He says, “It seems like a dream. I am learning to court her over again, and succeed very slowly. She is so distant.”
The two cases reported by Prof. S. H. Potter in the April number of Am. Med. Journal, 1876, do not overdraw the picture, any one will testify who has had a few of these perplexing patients to manage.
“Miss M. T., age 18 years, of sanguine temperament, quite corpulent for her age, a wealthy farmer’s daughter, distinguished for her modesty, intelligence, prudence and good social qualities.
“History.—In the hot weather of August, the writer was called 15 miles to consult with Dr. A., the family physician of Mr. T. About three weeks prior to this, Miss T. had suddenly exhibited paroxysms of uncontrollable desire for coition. When any young gentleman chanced to call upon the family, she would elevate her apparel under her arms, approach and attempt an embrace in the most lascivious manner, until forced to desist by the interference of the overpowering strength of the persons present. At first these scenes were at intervals, with intervening times of great dejection, gloominess and silence. The father being of rather a superstitious nature, thought her ‘possessed of the devil,’ and resorted to repeated and severe flagellations without effecting any perceptible reform. During the last week her excitement had been almost continuous, and she had been confined to and locked in her room. It may well be supposed that the case had excited the entire neighborhood to wonder and amazement, and in some of the more thoughtful, deep sympathy, and through their advice the physician was called.
“Examination with a glass speculum showed an irritating fluid oozing from the os uteri; the whole surface of the vagina, the nymphæ clitoris and the vulva were suffering from active congestion. Exalted general sensation was apparent, and the slightest touch of the internal labia or clitoris produced the most exquisite amorous excitement—an uncontrollable mania.
“Case II.—Was called to see Mrs. F., of this city, September last, age 30, a grass widow by third marriage. Found her in violent hysterical spasms, with usual accompanying symptoms. Her aunt, with whom she was then visiting, gave the following:
“History of the Case.—For some time past she had exhibited lasciviousness; had to be kept under surveillance; to-day the aunt had ‘been out shopping;’ on coming home she found her niece in a sequestered place with exposed nudity quite shocking, and using persistent artifice to effect coition with a canine Newfoundlander. The aunt so rashly interposed, that the niece ‘went into alarming and persistent spasms.’”