HYSTERIA, from ἱστέρη, the womb, though commonly applied to those violent fits which attack women, and which are attended with convulsions, a sense of choking, and involuntary laughing and crying, is strictly applicable to a large proportion of those chronic, so-called nervous, disorders to which females are subject. Of these the fit or convulsion is but the occasional and prominent symptom. The fit itself is usually preceded by a general uneasiness and feeling of oppression, a tight sensation about the throat, headache, cramps, and the sensation of a ball rising from the stomach
Hypostasis, to the throat (globus hystericus). A temporary loss of sense and consciousness, with general convulsions, screaming, tearing the hair, beating the breast, or otherwise attempting to injure the person, follows this, and the paroxysm passes off in a fit of laughter, or alternate laughter and crying, or a flood of tears. It is of great consequence to distinguish this disease from epilepsy, with which it may be confounded. In epilepsy there is no premonitory symptom, as a sensation of hail rising to the throat; a sharp cry or shriek always immediately precedes the convulsions, and on the convulsions passing off the patient falls into a deep sleep of shorter or longer duration. Uterine and gastro-intestinal irritation or irregularity are the principal causes of hysterical affections. They are consequently almost alone met with in females; but one or two well authenticated cases have been seen in males of highly susceptible nervous temperament. During the fit the attendants should take care that the patient does not injure herself, but further than this they should exert no restraint upon the person. To prevent her injuring herself with her teeth, several folds of a towel or napkin may be put between the jaws. If there be much determination of blood to the head, the applying cold wetted cloths to the head, and sprinkling cold water on the face and throat, are recommended as useful; and in slighter cases, cold water sprinkled over the face, and applying smelling-salts to the nose, are thought to shorten the fit. Between the paroxysms means should be used to remove the cause of the disorder; and tonics, particularly preparations of iron and quinine, regulation of the bowels and the secretions, and attention to diet and exercise, are the measures most likely to restore health when the complaint, as it usually is, is attended with various degrees of debility. Assafoetida, valerian, ammonia, and other antispasmodics are also useful in preventing the recurrence of the convulsions.