A Briefe Discovrse of a Disease called the Suffocation of the MotherJorden, Edward
History
A Briefe Discovrse of a Disease called the Suffocation of the Mother
Jorden, Edward
Hysteria -- Early works to 1900; Uterus -- Displacements -- Early works to 1800
_Alexander Benedictus veronensis_ testifieth, that he saw a woman in
a fit of the Mother, that was besides her selfe, and would sometimes
laugh & sometimes crie. Those that attended her, applied Partrige
feathers vpon coales vnto her nostrilles, and by chance through want of
care there fell a great coale out of the Chafingdish into her bosome,
where it burnt her, and made a great blister, but she perceyued it not
vntill the next day, and then complained of her breasts. My selfe had a
patient in this Citie yet liuing and in good health (whome I will name
vnto any whome it may concerne) that endured a violent fitte of the
Mother a whole day together: wherein shee had many strong conuulsions,
and sometimes did lie as if she had beene dead. Insomuch as the
midwiues would haue giuen her ouer, and imputed ignorance vnto mee that
I woulde attempt any thing for her recouerie. But her husband being
perswaded by me to make triall of some meanes which I had prescribed
for her, shee was within three or foure houres deliuered of a childe;
yet knew not of it, vntill shee was throughly recouered of her fit,
which was fourteene or fifteene houres after, and then she asked her
husband what was become of her great bellie. I could rehearse two
other such like examples within this citie, which happened not many
moneths since.
But we had of late a most rare example of this disease in an Essex
Gentlewoman of good note, who being once frighted by squibs, fell into
these fits of the Mother, which held her euery day, and whensoeuer
else she did eate any comfortable meat, for the space of fifteene or
sexteene yeares togither, with such violent conuulsions, as fiue or six
strong men could scarce hold her downe. Sometimes her limbes would be
contracted, sometimes perticular Muscles, which would cause swellings
in diuerse parts of her bodie, sometimes she would be without all maner
of sense. And being made beleeue by a stranger Physition that she was
bewitched, her fits increased vpon her, and grew to be stronger than
before.
_Bartholomeus Montagnana_ reciteth vp 31. seuerall _Symptoms_ of this
disease which hee obserued in a Gentlewoman which was his patient.
Conuulsions, swoundings, choaking in the throate, sadnesse and
lamentation, coldnes ouer her whole bodie, dumbnesse, and yet could
heare, drowsinesse, beating of the heart, trembling of the handes,
contraction of the fingers, &c.
It were in vaine to heape vp many examples to this purpose, seeing
our daily experience doth yeeld vs sufficient store of proofe of the
varietie of these _Symptoms_ in the animall facultie.
_Cap. 5._
_Of that kind wherein the naturall facultie is offended._
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