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Mad'lle C., twenty-three years of age, is brought to the Salpêtrière
June 8th, 1812. In stature she is of medium size, her hair and eyes
are black, the eyebrows very thick, and approximate clsoely at the root
of the nose; her look is fixed upon the ground, her physignomy expressive
of fear, her habit of body lean, and her skin brown. We observe some scorbutic
spots on the lower extremities. the hands and feet, always very cold, are
of a purplish red; the pulse is slow, and very feeble: constipation, which
ordinarily very obstinate, is sometimes replaced by a dirrhoea; secretion
of urine is scanty. She utters not a word, refuses every kind of movement,
and persists obstinately in confining herself to bed. We have recourse
to various means, to induce her to take nourishment. Affusions of cold
water triumph over this repugnance, and she eats more readily. However,
she manifests at times, her unwillingness to take nourishement, though
with less obstinacy. For the four years that this woman has been in the
house, but few words have escaped her, which,however, have indicated to
us, that fear absorbed all her faculties. She formerly lived in the country,
and had been excessively frightened by soldiers. We have to oblige her
to leave her bed, when, so soon as dressed, she sits down on a bench,
always in the same place, her attitude remaining the same; her head inclined
to the left side of the chest, the arms crossed, resting upon the knees,
and her eyes turned fixedly towards the sun. She remains thus, without
moving, or uttering a |
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word during during the whole day. At meal time, she does not go for
her food, but it is necessary to bring it to her, and press her to partake
of it. She never changes her position to do this, and uses only the arm
and hand of the right side. If any one approaches the patient or speaks
to her; if they interrogate or exhort her; her countenance becomes slightly
flushed, and sometimes she turns her eyes aside, but never speaks. It is
necessary to inform her when it is time to retire; when she undresses,
gathers herself up in bed, and envelpes her person entirely in the coverings.
Menstruration is irregular and scanty; and is suppressed for six months.
We never succeeded in overcoming the silence of this female, nor her aversion
to motion. She never had an attack of fury, and died of phthisis at the
age of twenty-nine years [Esquirol, 1845/1965, 203-4].
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