. Harvey
cites several instances of pseudocyesis, and says we must not rashly
determine of the the inordinate birth before the seventh or after the
eleventh month. In 1646 a woman, after having laughed heartily at the
jests of an ill-bred, covetous clown, was seized with various movements
and motions in her belly like those of a child, and these continued for
over a month, when the courses appeared again and the movements ceased.
The woman was certain that she was pregnant.

The most noteworthy historic case of pseudocyesis is that of Queen Mary
of England, or "Bloody Mary," as she was called. To insure the
succession of a Catholic heir, she was most desirous of having a son by
her consort, Philip, and she constantly prayed and wished for
pregnancy. Finally her menses stopped; the breasts began to enlarge
and became discolored around the nipples. She had morning-sickness of a
violent nature and her abdomen enlarged. On consultation with the
ladies of her court, her opinion of pregnancy was strongly confirmed.
Her favorite amusement then was to make baby-clothes and count on her
fingers the months of pregnancy. When the end of the ninth month
approached, the people were awakened one night by the joyous peals of
the bells of London announcing the new heir. An ambassador had been
sent to tell the Pope that Mary could feel the new life within her, and
the people rushed to St. Paul's Cathedral to listen to the venerable
Archbishop of Canterbury describe the baby-prince and give thanks for
his deliverance. The spurious labor pains passed away, and after being
assured that no real pregnancy existed in her case, Mary went into
violent hysterics, and Philip, disgusted with the whole affair,
deserted her; then commenced the persecution of the Protestants, which
blighted the reign.

Putnam cites the case of a healthy brunet, aged forty, the mother of
three children. She had abrupt vertical abdominal movements, so strong
as to cause her to plunge and sway from side to side. Her breasts were
enlarged, the areolae dark, and the uterus contained an elastic tumor,
heavy and rolling under the hand. Her abdomen progressively enlarged to
the regular size of matured gestation; but the extrauterine pregnancy,
which was supposed to have existed, was not seen at the autopsy,
nothing more than an enlarged liver being found. The movement was due
to spasmodic movements of the abdominal muscles, the causes being
unknown. Madden gives the hi