95 Op. cit.
A complete anuria or ischuria is one of the older observations in hysteria. Laycock, Charcot, and many others have written at length on this subject. Finch96 has published a curious case of complete anuria. The patient had various hysterical symptoms, including paroxysms with unconsciousness, contracture, also vomiting. Micturition and defecation were entirely suspended (?) from Dec. 24, 1877, to Feb. 22d of the following year. During a period of fifty-eight days paroxysms were frequent; but on using the catheter the bladder was always found empty. The probability of hysterical fraud is very great in this case. A few case of hysterical retention of the urine in men have been reported.
96 Nice médicale.
Increase of the uterine and vaginal secretions is mentioned by Jolly as sometimes attributable to nervous influences in cases of hysteria. He mentions the case of a woman suffering from hysterical symptoms at the change of life whose disposition was decidedly depressed; though at times lively, particularly erotic. In this case simultaneously with tympanites appeared a thin, clear fluor albus. Local treatment with quiet had no decided effect, but it disappeared with the tympanites when the patient was excited by the visit of a sister who overwhelmed her with reproaches.
Hysterical vomiting of food sometimes persists for weeks; strangely enough, the patients usually appear to suffer little in consequence. Chambers believes that the articles swallowed do not all get into the stomach. The phenomena of rejection in these cases are similar to those of an œsophageal stricture; some of the matter swallowed is really retained, and therefore the patient will not starve as soon as might be supposed.
Two cases of simulated pregnancy by hysterical women have come under my observation. Cases are reported also in which hysteria simulated closely the process of natural labor, as one for instance, by Hodges.97 A woman said to be in the fifth month of pregnancy engaged him to attend her at term. Four months afterward he was sent for, the patient having severe pains, supposing herself to be in labor. On examination, however, a tumor present turned out to be the bladder distended and prolapsed. Sparks98 reports the case of a young married woman who had the symptoms of the third stage of labor, the case being purely hysterical.
97 Lancet, 1859, ii. 619.
98 Chicago Med. Journ. and Examiner, 1880.
Walker99 reports a group of hysterical symptoms closely simulating the prodromes of puerperal eclampsia. The patient, a married woman only eighteen years old, when pregnant six months lifted a tub of water, rupturing the membranes. In the eighth month, after she had remained in bed three days, she began to complain of severe headache; soon she said she was blind; the pupils of the eye were neither dilated nor contracted, and responded sluggishly to light. Ophthalmoscopic examination gave negative results, but she did not flinch from the light of the mirror. Temperature, pulse, and respiration were about normal. The urine contained no albumen. She recovered her sight in twelve hours, and had no continuing trouble.
99 Arch. of Medicine, New York, 1883, x. 85-88.