WOMENsubject to thisSymptom, are indeed desirous ofMeatandDrink; yet commonly ofsuch, as is not onlydisagreeable, but alsooffensiveandprejudicialtoNature.
THEviolentExcessof thisviciousordegenerate Appetiteis wonderful; as frequently appears by manyunnatural Instances, which I shall forbear mentioning in this Place, for fear of ill Consequences; so that I can only recommend theCuriousto the[59]Authoritiesof theMargin.
THECauseof thisSYMPTOMproceeds from the variousHumoursof deprav’dQualities, inherent in theTunicksof theSTOMACH, vitiating theFermentof theVENTRICLE; and so affecting theOrifice, that it becomes the verySeatandSourceof thisEvil: from whence arises theVarietyof theHumours, exciting a strange and uncommonVarietyofAppetite.
THENatureandQualityof theseHUMOURS, have occasion’d many learnedDisputes, which yet remain undecided. But tho’Platerustakes upon himself to call themMalignantandPoisonous, yet it is theOpinionof manylearned Men, and as excellentAuthors, thatTheyare not to be justly accounted for, any farther than that they are of anoccult perverse Quality, generated in theSTOMACH, from irregularDiet, improperFood, and badConcoction, attended with anerroneous Regimenin other Cases.
THISSymptombegins commonly about the 40thDayfromConception, and continues to the 4thMonth: Against which time, part of thevitious Humoursare excreted or thrown up byVomiting, and the Remainder (by degrees) imbib’d by thegrowing Infant; whichHumoursbeing so consum’d, theDistemperceases of Course.
THISEffectis more extreme and disorderly in bearing aGirlthan aBoy; thepituitous Humourshaving lessConcoction, because of the want of requisiteHeat: Which for the same Reason also occasions disagreeableFlatulencies,Belchings, andFluctuations.
I have, in the Course of my Experience, observ’d thisEvilto be most common inHolland; partly because of thethickcondensedAirof the Country, and partly because theCommonaltyof theWomenlive but on gross and cold Food, Fruit, Acids,&c.and are consequently of a cold humidTemperature, very subject to this Evil.
THEDiagnostick Signsof thisSYMPTOM, are Weakness ofBody, Dissolution ofLimbs, Gnawing ofStomach, Loathing ofwholesome Food, (and evenThatvery often which thePartylov’d before)Anxiety,Pensiveness, frequentSpittings, and (at several times)Vomitings.
IFtheVentricleorStomachis only slightly affected with some sort ofviscousandfrigid Humours, thePartygenerallylongsforsharpandtart Meats; if withcalidandhotones, she craves for those which arebitterandbiting: But if more severely affected, withHumoursofsome perverseoccult Quality, she longs forstrange unaccountable Matters; and hence it is that allmonstrous APPETITESproceed.
BUTif suchHumoursbecomeConnaturalto theWoman, by thedeep Impressionof Diuturnity, she longs for thingsresemblingthe very sameNatureof theHumours: As for Example, if they be of aburningorparching Nature, she covets to eatCOALS,CINDERS, &c. if of agrossandthick Quality,CHALK,LIME, &c. if of aSaltishKind,SALTitself: if of aMelancholickTemper,EARTH,CLAY,DUST, &c. For because, as the Thingcontainingchanges theContents, so theContents(in process of time, by Force ofconstant Impression) change the Thingcontaining. In like manner asdeprav’d Wineimparts a vitiousTasteorSavourto theCASK, so thoseHumoursconvert the Temperature of theSTOMACHinto their ownNatural Qualities.
THESimilitude and Dissimilitude ofHumoursandTemperature, may be thus known and distinguished,viz.TheAppetite, longing for things of alikeorresembling Nature(as above), remains stillunsatisfy’d, tho’ plentifully indulg’d with the Thing desir’d: Whereas theAppetiteofdifferentor[60]discordingThings, having obtain’d the Thinglong’dfor, is easilysatiated, and immediately ceaseth.
THISMaliciousorLustingSYMPTOM, is mostdangerous; degenerating commonly into aCacochymy,Dropsy,Phthisick, or some other heavyDisease.
BUTthe greatest Hardship or Misfortune, after All, isThis; that, if theWomandoth not indulge her corruptAPPETITE, shelanguishesandpinesto such a degree, that her[61]Life is often endanger’d, together with theFoetus, by the Disappointment: and if shedoes so gratify herself,Thisoften proves of the worst of Consequences, even sometimes to a mortal Fatality.
HOWEVER, in short, thisSYMPTOMis like manyOthers, more easilyprevented, thancur’d: Wherefore allWomen, as soon as theyconceive, ought (at repeated Times) to use properAnti-kittean Medicines(that is, againstPICAorLonging) and be very careful of theirRegimenandDiet: But when, perhaps, by neglect of thoseMeans, theDistemperappears inordinate, the Method ofCureconsists in evacuating the Humours, and in absterging, alterating, and corroborating theStomach.