ting Fits_ are sometimes very dangerous, and at others
perfectly harmless; the question of danger depending altogether upon the
causes which have produced them, and which are exceedingly various. For
instance, fainting produced by disease of the heart is a very serious
symptom indeed; whereas, that arising from some slight cause, such as
the sight of blood, &c., need cause no alarm whatever. The symptoms of
simple fainting are so well known that it would be quite superfluous to
enumerate them here. The _treatment_ consists in laying the patient at
full length upon his back, with his head upon a level with the rest of
his body, loosening everything about the neck, dashing cold water into
the face, and sprinkling vinegar and water about the mouth; applying
smelling-salts to the nose; and, when the patient is able to swallow, in
giving a little warm brandy-and-water, or about 20 drops of sal-volatile
in water.

2643. _Hysterics_.--These fits take place, for the most part, in young,
nervous, unmarried women. They happen much less often in married women;
and even (in some rare cases indeed) in men. Young women, who are
subject to these fits, are apt to think that they are suffering from
"all the ills that flesh is heir to;" and the false symptoms of disease
which they show are so like the true ones, that it is often exceedingly
difficult to detect the difference. The fits themselves are mostly
preceded by great depression of spirits, shedding of tears, sickness,
palpitation of the heart, &c. A pain, as if a nail were being driven in,
is also often felt at one particular part of the head. In almost all
cases, when a fit is coming on, pain is felt on the left side. This pain
rises gradually until it reaches the throat, and then gives the patient
a sensation as if she had a pellet there, which prevents her from
breathing properly, and, in fact, seems to threaten actual suffocation.
The patient now generally becomes insensible, and faints; the body is
thrown about in all directions, froth issues from the mouth, incoherent
expressions are uttered, and fits of laughter, crying, or screaming,
take place. When the fit is going off, the patient mostly cries
bitterly, sometimes knowing all, and at others nothing, of what has
taken place, and feeling general soreness all over the body. _Treatment
during the fit_. Place the body in the same position as for simple
fainting, and treat, in other respects, as directed in the article on
Epil