anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第127部分

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e　tissues　compressed　by　the　ejaculatory　muscles。

Hendrichsen　quotes　a　case　in　which　a　spasmodic　contraction　of　the　levator　ani　occurred　during　coitus；　and　the　penis　could　not　be　withdrawn　while　this　condition　lasted；　and　in　support　of　this　circumstance　Hendrichsen　mentions　that　Marion　Sims；　Beigel；　and　Budin　describe　spasmodic　contractions　of　the　levator　and；　constricting　the　vagina；　he　also　cites　an　instance　under　his　personal　observation　in　which　this　spasm　was　excited　by　both　vaginal　and　rectal　examination；　although　on　the　following　day　no　such　condition　could　be　produced。　In　this　connection；　among　the　older　writers；　Borellus　gives　the　history　of　a　man　who　before　coitus　rubbed　his　virile　member　with　musk；　and；　similar　to　the　connection　of　a　dog　and　bitch；　was　held　fast　in　his　wife's　vagina；　it　was　only　after　the　injection　of　great　quantities　of　water　to　soften　the　parts　that　separation　was　obtained。　Diemerbroeck　confirms　this　singular　property　of　musk　by　an　analogous　observation；　in　which　the　ludicrous　method　of　throwing　cold　water　on　the　persons　was　practised。　Schurig　also　relates　the　history　of　a　similar　instance。

Among　the　peculiar　effects　of　coitus　is　its　deteriorating　effect　on　the　healing　process　of　wounds。　Boerhaave；　Pare；　and　Fabricius　Hildanus　all　speak　of　this　untoward　effect　of　venery；　and　in　modern　times　Poncet　has　made　observations　at　a　hospital　in　Lyons　which　prove　that　during　the　process　of　healing　wounds　are　unduly　and　harmfully　influenced　by　coitus；　and　cites　confirmatory　instances。　Poncet　also　remarks　that　he　found　on　nine　occasions；　by　placing　a　thermometer　in　the　rectum；　that　the　temperature　was　about　1　degrees　F。　lower　just　before　than　after　coitus；　and　that　during　the　act　the　temperature　gradually　rose　above　normal。

There　are　many　associate　conditions　which；　under　the　exciting　influence　of　coitus；　provoke　harmful　effects　and　even　a　fatal　issue。　Deguise　mentions　a　man　who　had　coitus　18　times　in　ten　hours　with　most　disastrous　effects。　Cabrolius　speaks　of　a　man　who　took　a　potion　of　aphrodisiac　properties；　in　which；　among　other　things；　he　put　an　enormous　dose　of　cantharides。　The　anticipation　of　the　effect　of　his　dose；　that　is；　the　mental　influence；　in　addition　to　the　actual　therapeutic　effect；　greatly　distressed　and　excited　him。　Almost　beyond　belief；　it　is　said　that　he　approached　his　wife　eighty…seven　times　during　the　night；　spilling　much　sperm　on　the　sleeping…bed。　Cabrolius　was　called　to　see　this　man　in　the　morning；　and　found　him　in　a　most　exhausted　condition；　but　still　having　the　supposed　consecutive　ejaculations。　Exhaustion　progressed　rapidly；　and　death　soon　terminated　this　erotic　crisis。　Lawson　is　accredited　with　saying　that　among　the　Marquesan　tribe　he　knew　of　a　woman　who　during　a　single　night　had　intercourse　with　103　men。

Among　the　older　writers　there　are　instances　reported　in　which　erection　and　ejaculation　took　place　without　the　slightest　pleasurable　sensation。　Claudius　exemplifies　this　fact　in　his　report　of　a　Venetian　merchant　who　had　vigorous　erections　and　ejaculations　of　thick　and　abundant　semen　without　either　tingling　or　pleasure。

Attila；　King　of　the　Huns；　and　one　of　the　most　celebrated　leaders　of　the　German　hosts　which　overran　the　Roman　Empire　in　its　decline；　and　whose　enormous　army　and　name　inspired　such　terror　that　he　was　called　the　〃Scourge　of　God；〃　was　supposed　to　have　died　in　coitus。　Apoplexy；　organic　heart　disorders；　aneurysms；　and　other　like　disorders　are　in　such　cases　generally　the　direct　cause　of　death；　coitus　causing　the　death　indirectly　by　the　excitement　and　exertion　accompanying　the　act。

Bartholinus；　Benedictus；　Borellus；　Pliny；　Morgagni；　Plater；　a　Castro；　Forestus；　Marcellus　Donatus；　Schurig；　Sinibaldus；　Schenck；　the　Ephemerides；　and　many　others　mention　death　during　coitus；　the　older　writers　in　some　cases　attributed　the　fatal　issue　to　excessive　sexual　indulgence；　not　considering　the　possibility　of　the　associate　direct　cause；　which　most　likely　would　have　been　found　in　case　of　a　necropsy。

Suspended　Animation。Various　opinions　have　been　expressed　as　to　the　length　of　time　compatible　with　life　during　which　a　person　can　stay　under　water。　Recoveries　from　drowning　furnish　interesting　examples　of　the　suspension　of　animation　for　a　protracted　period；　but　are　hardly　ever　reliable；　as　the　subject　at　short　intervals　almost　invariably　rises　to　the　surface　of　the　water；　allowing　occasional　respiration。　Taylor　mentions　a　child　of　two　who　recovered　after　ten　minutes'　submersion；　in　another　case　a　man　recovered　after　fourteen　minutes'　submersion。　There　is　a　case　reported　in　this　country　of　a　woman　who　was　said　to　have　been　submerged　twenty　minutes。　Guerard　quotes　a　case　happening　in　1774；　in　which　there　was　submersion　for　an　hour　with　subsequent　recovery；　but　there　hardly　seems　sufficient　evidence　of　this。

Green　mentions　submersion　for　fifteen　minutes；　Douglass；　for　fourteen　minutes；　Laub；　for　fifteen　minutes；　Povall　gives　a　description　of　three　persons　who　recovered　after　a　submersion　of　twenty…five　minutes。　There　is　a　case　in　French　literature；　apparently　well　authenticated；　in　which　submersion　for　six　minutes　was　followed　by　subsequent　recovery。

There　have　been　individuals　who　gave　exhibitions　of　prolonged　submersion　in　large　glass　aquariums；　placed　in　full　view　of　the　audience。　Taylor　remarks　that　the　person　known　some　years　ago　in　London　as　〃Lurline〃　could　stay　under　water　for　three　minutes。　There　have　been　several　exhibitionists　of　this　sort。　Some　of　the　more　enterprising　seat　themselves　on　an　artificial　coral；　and　surrounded　by　fishes　of　divers　hues　complacently　eat　a　meal　while　thus　submerged。　It　is　said　that　quite　recently　in　Detroit　there　was　a　performer　who　accomplished　the　feat　of　remaining　under　water　four　minutes　and　eight　seconds　in　full　view　of　the　audience。　Miss　Lurline　swam　about　in　her　aquarium；　which　was　brilliantly　illuminated；　ate；　reclined；　and　appeared　to　be　taking　a　short　nap　during　her　short　immersion。　In　Paris；　some　years　since；　there　was　exhibited　a　creature　called　〃l'homme…poisson；〃　who　performed　feats　similar　to　Lurline；　including　the　smoking　of　a　cigarette　held　entirely　in　his　mouth。　In　all　these　exhibitions　all　sorts　of　artificial　means　are　used　to　make　the　submersion　appear　long。　Great　ceremony；　music；　and　the　counting　of　the　seconds　in　a　loud　voice　from　the　stage；　all　tend　to　make　the　time　appear　much　longer　than　it　really　is。　However；　James　Finney　in　London；　April　7；　1886；　stayed　under　water　four　minutes；　twenty…nine　and　one…fourth　seconds；　and　one　of　his　feats　was　to　pick　up　70　or　80　gold…plated　half…pennies　with　his　mouth；　his　hands　being　securely　tied　behind　his　back；　and　never　emerging　from　his　tank　until　his　feat　was　fully　accomplished。　In　company　with　his　sister　he　played　a　game　of　〃nap〃　under　water；　using　porcelain　cards　and　turning　them　to　the　view　of　the　audience。　〃Professor　Enochs〃　recently　stayed　under　water　at　Lowell；　Mass。；　for　four　minutes；　forty…six　and　one…fifth　seconds。　The　best　previous　record　was　four　minutes；　thirty…five　seconds；　made　by　〃Professor　Beaumont〃　at　Melbourne　on　December　16；　1893。

For　the　most　satisfactory　examples　of　prolonged　submersion　we　must　look　to　the　divers；　particularly　the　natives　who　trade　in　coral；　and　the　pearl　fishers。　Diving　is　an　ancient　custom；　and　even　legendary　exploits　of　this　nature　are　recorded。　Homer　compares　the　fall　of　Hector's　chariot　to　the　action　of　a　diver；　and　specially　trained　men　were　employed　at　the　Siege　of　Syracuse；　their　mission　being　to　laboriously　scuttle　the　enemy's　vessels。　Many　of　the　old　historians　mention　diving；　and　Herodotus　speaks　of　a　diver　by　the　name　of　Scyllias　who　was　engaged　by　Xerxes　to　recover　some　articles　of　value　which　had　been　sunk　on　some　Persian　vessels　in　a　tempest。　Egyptian　divers　are　mentioned　by　Plutarch；　who　says　that　Anthony　was　deceived　by　Cleopatra　in　a　fishing　contest　by　securing　expert　divers　to　place　the　fish　upon　the　hooks。　There　was　a　historical　or　rather　legendary　character　by　the　name　of　Didion；　who　was　noted　for　his　exploits　in　the　river　Meuse。　He　had　the　ability　to　stay　under　water　a　considerable　length　of　time；　and　even　to　catch　fish　while　submerged。

There　was　a　famous　diver　in　Sicily　at　the　end　of　the　fifteenth　century　whose　feats　are　recorded　in　the　writings　of　Alexander　ab　Alexandro；　Pontanus；　and　Father　Kircher；　the　Jesuit　savant。　This　man's　name　was　Nicolas；　born　of　poor　parents　at　Catania。　From　his　infancy　he　showed　an　extraordinary　power　of　diving　and　swimming；　and　from　his　compatriots　soon　acquired　various　names　indicative　of　his　capacity。　He　became　very　well　known　throughout　Sicily；　and　for　his　patron　had　Frederick；　King　of　Naples。　In　the　present　day；　the　sponge…fishers　and　pearl…fishers　in　the　West　Indies；　the　Mediterranean；　the　Indian　Seas；　and　the　Gulf　of　Mexico　invite　the　attention　of　those　interested　in　the　anomalies　of　suspended　animation。　There　are　many　marvelous　tales　of　their　ability　to　remain　under　water　for　long　periods。　It　is　probable　that　none　remain　submerged　over　two　minutes；　but；　what　is　more　remarkable；　they　are　supposed　to　dive　to　extraordinary　depths；　some　as　much　as　150　to　200　feet。　Ordinarily　they　remain　under　water　from　a　minute　to　one　and　a　half　minutes。　Remaining　longer；　the　face　becomes　congested；　the　eyes　injected；　the　sputum　bloody；　due　to　rupture　of　some　of　the　minute　vessels　in　the　lung。　It　is　said　by　those　who　have　observed　them　carefully　that　few　of　these　divers　live　to　an　advanced　age。　Many　of　them　suffer　apoplectic　attacks；　and　some　of　them　become　blind　from　congestion　of　the　ocular　vessels。　The　Syrian　divers　are　supposed　to　carry　weights　of　considerable　size　in　their　hands　in　order　to　facilitate　the　depth　and　duration　of　submersion。　It　is　also　said　that　the　divers　of　Oceanica　use　heavy　stones。　According　to　Guyot…Daubes；　in　the　Philippine　Isles　the　native　pearl…fishers　teach　their　children　to　dive　to　the　depth　of　25　meters。　The　Tahitians；　who　excited　the　admiration　of　Cook；　are　noted　for　their　extraordinary　diving。　Speaking　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　island　of　Fakaraya；　near　Tahiti；　de　la　Quesnerie　says　that　the　pearl…fishers　do　not　hesitate　to　dive　to　the　depth　even　of　100　feet　after　their　coveted　prizes。　On　the　Ceylon　coast　the　mother…of…pearl　fishers　are　under　the　direction　of　the　English　Government