since the tragedy resulted directly from the hysterical pranks of girls under twelve years of age.  During late years it has been quite frequent among men and boys.  It seems to occur oftener in the warm and mild climates than in the cold.  There are two predisposing causes that are very important—­heredity and education.  Heredity acts by endowing the child with a movable (mobile) abnormally sensitive nervous organization.  Cases are seen most frequently in families with marked nervous disease tendencies, whose members have suffered from various sorts of nervous diseases.

[284 Mothers’ remedies]

Education.—­The proper home education is neglected.  Some parents allow their girls to grow up accustomed to have every whim gratified, abundant sympathy lavished on every woe, however trifling, and the girl reaches womanhood with a moral organization unfitted to withstand the cares and worries of every-day life.  And between the ages of twelve and sixteen, the most important in her life, when the vital energies are absorbed in the rapid development of the body, the girl is often “cramming” for examinations and cooped in close schoolrooms for six or eight hours daily; not only that, but at home she is often practicing and taking lessons on the piano in connection with the full school work.  The result too often is an active bright mind in an enfeebled body, ill-adapted to subserve the functions for which it was framed, easily disordered, and prone to act abnormally to the ordinary stimuli of life.

Direct Influences.—­Those influences that directly bring on the attack are fright, anxiety, grief, love affairs, and domestic worries, especially in those of a nervous nature.  Diseases of the generative organs and organic diseases in general, and of the nervous system especially, may be causes of hysteria.

Symptoms.—­These may be divided into two classes:  1.  Interparoxysmal or time between the paroxysms (spells). 2.  Paroxysmal.  During the time of the attack.  First variety—­The will power seems defective.  In bad cases self-control is lost.  The patient is irritable, and easily annoyed by the slightest trifle; is very excitable and easily moved to laughter or tears without any apparent cause for either.  Easily discouraged and despondent.  She wants lots of sympathy.  Second—­Loss of sensation is frequently present, and it is most commonly one-sided; it may involve certain parts, as one or two limbs, the trunk escaping, or part of one limb.  Various spots of want of sensation (feeling) may exist.  The skin of the affected side is frequently pale and cool and a pin prick may not cause bleeding.  In some cases they feel the touch of the hand, but there is no feeling from heat.  There may also be oversensitiveness to pain and of the skin.  It may be one-sided or both, or only in spots.  The left ovarian region is a common sensitive point; also over the breasts, lower positions of the ribs, on top of the head and