ight be headed, "Hysteria in Children," 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, t