rying to such a degree as to cause simple
reeling, or falling as if shot. Gray reports the history of a patient
with this sensational record: He had been a peasant in Ireland, and one
day crossing one of the wide moors in a dog-cart, he was suddenly, as
he thought, struck a violent blow from behind, so that he believed that
he lost consciousness for some time. At all events, when he was able to
get up he found his horse and cart some distance off, and, of course,
not a soul in sight. Under the belief that he had been struck by some
enemy he went quietly home and said nothing about it. Some time
afterward, however, in crossing another lonely place he had a similar
experience, and as he came to the conclusion that nobody could have
been near him, he made up his mind that it was some malevolent stroke
of the devil and he consulted a priest who agreed with him in his
belief, and gave him an amulet to wear. A series of similar attacks
occurred and puzzled as to whether there was some diabolical agency at
work, or whether he was the victim of some conspiracy, he emigrated to
America; for several months he had no attacks. A new paroxysm occurring
he consulted Gray, who found indubitable evidence of labyrinthine
disease. The paroxysms of this disease are usually accompanied by
nausea and vomiting, and on account of the paleness of the face, and
the cold, clammy perspiration, attacks have frequently been mistaken
for apoplexy. In disease of the middle ear the attacks are continuous
rather than paroxysmal. If the disease is in the middle or internal
ears, loud noises are generally heard, but if the disease is in the
external ear, the noises are generally absent, and the vertigo of less
degree but continuous. The prognosis varies with the location of the
disease, but is always serious.

Human rumination has been known for many years. Bartholinus, Paullinus,
Blanchard, Bonet, the Ephemerides, Fabricius Hildanus, Horstius,
Morgagni, Peyer, Rhodius, Vogel, Salmuth, Percy, Laurent, and others
describe it. Fabricius d'Aquapendente personally knew a victim of
rumination, or, as it is generally called, merycism. The dissection by
Bartholinus of a merycol showed nothing extraordinary in the cadaver.
Winthier knew a Swede of thirty-five, in Germany, apparently healthy,
but who was obliged when leaving the table to retire to some remote
place where he might eject his food into his mouth again, saying that
it gave him the sensation of sweet