Nymphomania.
By Henry N. Guernsey,
M. D.
Presented by Dr. Sayeed Ahmad D. I. Hom. (London)This formidable disease may be properly reckoned as
one of the disorders of the external parts, since its principal seat is
in the vulva, nymphæ and clitoris, — although these organs may only be
thus affected in consequence of some morbid condition of those more
interior. Nymphomania consists in an uncontrollable passion for sexual
intercourse, which overcomes all the restraints of modesty, propriety
and decency, and amounts to an actual insanity or monomania on this
single subject of sexual intercourse. Taking its rise in functional
disorders of the sexual system, or in more general morbid constitutional
influences, which are thus ultimated upon the external generative
organs, this disease changes the entire moral character from the most
attractive modesty to the most shameless and repulsive profligacy; and
it may lead to paroxysms whose violence rapidly exhausts the vital
energies, and which terminate only in death.Nymphomania is to be distinguished from erotomania.
The former is a purely sensual passion, alike physical in its origin, in
its local influence, in its development and in its much desired forms of
gratification. The latter, although still to be considered sensual in a
strictly moral point of view; from a physical point of view would seem
rather spiritual, –as neither requiring sensual means of gratification
nor dependent upon physical ability. Erotomania is a physical state,
which may find its highest if not its only gratification in the reveries
and dreams of amorous imagination and fancy, by day or by night.
Nymphomania is a physical disease whose progress may be traced through a
period of internal incubation, of external, reluctant and partially
restrained development, to a final condition of open, unrestrained
manifestation; characterized by a most intense, all-controlling sexual
desire, and by an equal unconsciousness of shame and of decency.Without directly mentioning nymphomania, Hahnemann
seems to have had it in his mind, when he says:“It is not until the whole of the organism is
infected that psora discloses its huge internal chronic miasm, by a
cutaneous eruption (sometimes consisting only in a few pimples) that is
wholly peculiar to it, accompanied by insupportable tickling, voluptuous
itching, and a specific odor.”This disease has repeatedly appeared in strongly
marked cases where there was one constant characteristic of the
temperament of constitution; and that was “an unusual
susceptibility of the skin to tettery affections.” In these cases
the disorder is so profoundly connected with the entire system, that it
induces paroxysms of convulsions, which indicate that the entire
cerebro-spinal nervous center is involved. The actual monomania, with
entire obliteration of all feeling of modesty or sense of shame, and
unconsciousness of all the duties and proprieties arising from the
domestic relation, indicates also an equally complete subjection of the
purely cerebral functions and moral feelings to the same morbid
influence. While the spasmodic closure of the œsophagus, and
impossibility of deglutition and consequent destruction of organic life,
show also that the same disease has possessed itself of the organic
nervous center—and so completely invested “the whole of the
organism.” The “insupportable tickling and voluptuous
itching” can be no more violently manifested than in the pruritus
so frequently seen in cases of nymphomania; and the same may be said
also of “the specific odor,” which, like that of goats, often
emanates from the genitals or from the entire person in such cases.True nymphomania may be considered, therefore, as a
most remarkable illustration of the psoric diathesis,– as a most
astonishing proof of the truth of the psoric principle. For if we
observe this malady to arise from the more immediate influence of
ascarides or onanism, these latter are but intermediate steps in the
chain of causation,–being themselves the results of the same psoric
influence in the system. The same may be said of the enlarged,
hypertrophic condition of the clitoris so often seen in connection with
this disease. The nymphomania is more apt to make its appearance at
either one or the other of those two epochs of the female life, in which
the constitution is stirred up as it were in its profoundest depths,–
that is, at the accession of puberty, or on the cessation of the
menses,– but more particularly at the former of these two periods. And
in addition to the influences already mentioned as constitutional or
provoking causes,– and which will thus exert an important influence in
determining the choice of the remedy,– we may mention: suppression or
great disturbance of the menstrual function, and organic diseases of the
uterus.But in both of these, as in the other causative
influences, the psoric diathesis is still predominant. For it is from
the presence of such deep-seated, morbid influence, hereditarily
implanted in the organic nervous system,– the source and support of all
organic or vegetative life,–that the menses fail to make their
appearance in due proportion and at the proper time. So the outset of
any organic disease must be attributed to the same ultimate cause.But in prescribing for this truly distress in
complaint, the various attendant symptoms, as well as the peculiar
constitutional indications must be carefully considered;–it will not be
necessary to enumerate here all the varied symptoms, and morbid moral,
mental and physical conditions which may accompany a case of
nymphomania. As in hysteria,–and in fact what is this disease itself
but a most violently aggravated hysterical affection, or morbid
excitement of the entire sexual system of the female,–so in
nymphomania, an endless succession and variety of symptoms may present.
There may be leucorrhœa of more or less peculiar kind; pruritus of the
external organs; intense lasciviousness, both spiritual and physical;
inflammation and excitation of the sexual parts; fever, with fetid
breath; nocturnal restlessness; sleep, with dreams which renew the
sexual excitement; paroxysms, with spasmodic closure of the œsophagus;
general and exhaustive convulsions; diarrhœa, etc. And these attacks
and symptoms of the disease may appear in consequence of onanism, or be
attended with irresistible disposition to it; they may accompany
menstruation; or appear in its absence; and finally, may be relieved or
brought on by pregnancy. We have devoted considerable space to this not
very frequent form of disease, because the homœopathic remedies,–as in
the somewhat analogous case of delirium tremens,– have been found
capable of producing the most salutary results and thus of saving from
destruction and of restoring to society some of its most valuable and
important members. And the indications given for the remedies may be
useful also, in the milder and more common forms of amorousness and
erotomania, for the relief of which the physician is often consulted.
HOMŒOPATHIC
TREATMENTAgaricus.
Itching and irritation of the genital organs, with strong desire for an
embrace. Great selfishness.
Arsen. a.
Sexual
desire, with an involuntary discharge of mucus as a parituclar symptom.
Restlessness. Thirst for cold water,–a very little satisfies her.
Unhappy, fatiguing dreams; nothing comes out right in her dreams.
Calc. carb.
Pale, leucophlegmatic. Much headache.
Vertigo on running up-stairs. Swelling over the pit of the stomach, like
a saucer turned bottom up. Menses too often and too profuse.
Cannabis s.
Great
excitation of the sexual instinct, the female being sterile.
Cantharis.
Pruritus
of the vagina, with strong sexual desire. She must urinate very
frequently, with cutting burning pain.
Carbo veg.
She
is troubled much with varicose veins in the vulva. Itching at the same
time of both the vulva and the anus. Much belching of wind, which
affords relief for a short time only.
China.
Sensation as
if the abdomen were too full after eating, with desire to
eructate,–which however affords no relief. Troublesome itching and
spasmodic contraction in the inner parts. Nymphomania of lying-in women.
Cocculus
.
Particularly in chlorotic females. Shivering over the mammæ. Lower
extremities very weak.
Coffea.
Voluptuous
itching in the genital organs. She is in a state of ecstacy.
Sleeplessness.
Conium.
Shriveling
of the mammæ, with increasing sexual desire. She is much troubled with
vertigo, particularly when lying down and when turning over in bed. The
urine flows and stops, and flows again, at each emission.
Digitalis.
Lascivious state of the fancy day and night. Remarkably slow pulse.
Stools of a very light colour.
Dulcamara.
Heat and
itching in the genitals, with desire for an embrace. All her symptoms
are aggravated by a cool change in the weather. Her sexual desires are
also increased by this change.
Graphites.
Inclination to obesity. Enlarged ovaries, which become more tender and
more enlarged every time she takes cold or gets her feet damp. Menses
delay. Itching blotches here and there over the surface of the body,
from which oozes out a colourless, glutinous fluid.
Gratiola.
Gnawing
about the umbilicus, as if of worms. Tingling in the hypogastrium and
around the imbilicus. Gnawing at the pit of the stomach after eating, as
if of hunger. Irresistible drowsiness and involuntary closing of the
eyes as the other symptoms abate.
Hyosciamus
.
Excited sexual desire without excitement of the fancy. Lascivious furor
without modesty. She inclines to uncover and expose herself. Convulsive
trembling. Immoderate loud laughter.
Ignatia.
Strongly
inclined to solitude; and to be very secretive; and to be passive.
Sadness and sighing, with an empty feeling in the pit of the stomach.
Iodium.
Dwindling
and falling away of the mammæ; they hang down heavily and lose their
fatness. Heaviness of the mammæ, as if they would fall off. All her
symptoms are relieved by eating.
Lachesis.
Tickling
and jerking, extending from the thighs to the genital organs, with
sexual excitement. Her symptoms are usually worse after sleeping. She
feels extremely sad, unhappy and distressed in mind on waking in the
morning.
Lycopodium.
Much
borborygmus in the abdomen, or gurgling in the left hypchondrium.
Discharge of wind from the vagina. Sense of dryness in the vagina. Red
sand in the urine. Delay, and severe pain the back, before the emission
of the urine. Sense of fulness up to the throat on eating a small
portion.
Mercurius.
The
symptoms are more constitutional than local. Hence this remedy must be
given rather from its general characteristic indications. The symptoms
are usually aggravated at night and are still worse when in bed.
Moschus.
Violent
sexual desire, with intolerable titillation in the genital organs.
Nat. carb.
Motion as
from a fœtus in the uterus. She has a variety of sufferings, all of
which are aggravated during a thunder-storm.
Nat. mur.
Falling
off of the hair from the mons veneris and from the labia majora. Much
itching of the vulva. She awakens every morning with a bad headache.
Great aversion to bread, of which she was once very fond. Longing for
salt things.
Nux vom.
Burning in
the vulva, with desire for an embrace. She wakens at three or four in
the morning with sexual desire; does not sleep much afterwards.
Constipation of large and difficult feces.
Opium.
Very sleepy,
but cannot go to sleep. Constipation; the evacuations are composed of
round, hard black balls. The sexual excitement and other troubles all
disappear from a few doses of Opium.
Phosphorus.
In a
pregnant female, at the seventh month, nymphomania appeared with spasms;
the symptoms were, weak, empty feeling in the abdomen,—cutting pains
in the abdomen; a narrow, dry, long and difficult stool, like a dog’s
stool. One dose of Phosph. 19m. completely cured the nymphomania,–she
went her full time, and was happily delivered.
Platina.
Excessive
sexual desire, particularly in virgin females; Voluptuous tingling in
the vulva and abdomen. Stool difficult, because it adheres to the rectum
and anus like soft clay. Hysterical cough from stifling beneath the
upper fourth of the sternum.
Plumbum.
Sensation
of drawing from the abdomen to the spine. Constipation; stool like sheep’s
manure.
Pulsatilla.
In
females with blue eyes, very affectionate, easily excited to tears; and
of a very yielding disposition. She cannot sleep in the early part of
the night; sleeps late in the morning. No thirst. All her symptoms are
worse towards evening; they are relieved in the open air; and worse on
returning to a close and warm room.
Sabina.
An almost
insatiable desire for an embrace. A sensation of drawing or dragging
from the sacrum to the pubis. Music is intolerable to her.
Silicea.
She feels
nausea during an embrace. Spinal affections and constipation,–with
increased sexual desire as a consequence.
Staphysagria.
Extreme sensitiveness to mental and physical impressions. She feels
mentally and very acutely every little circumstance. The teeth turn
black into their very substance.
Stramonium.
Excessive loquacity during the menses. This was always the case.
Stramonium removes also abnormal sexual excitement. During the menses
the smell of semen is very apparent. Her face is bloated with blood. A
great many strange fancies come into her mind.
Sulphur.
A weak
feeling in the genital organs. Sore feeling in the vagina during an
embrace. Sterility. Also in cases which present the general
characteristic indications for Sulphur.Thuja.
Fig-warts,
condylomata, or other excrescences of a similar nature, on or about the
genital organs. Her symptoms are worse after three P. M., and at night,
preventing her from falling asleep.
Veratrum
.
Nymphomania, particularly of lying-in females. Mania with lewdness and
lascivious speeches. Thirst, with craving for the codest drinks. Menses
preceded or accompanied by vomiting and diarrhœa, or by diarrhœa
alone.
Zinc.
Sexual desire
several times at night. Irresistible desire for onanism. She always
feels best during the menstrual flow. Boring pain in the left ovary,
requiring pressure for partial relief, excepting when the menses are
flowing,–then there is complete relief.
NOTE:
Any information given above is not intended to be
taken as a replacement for medical advice. Therefore, it is very
important that the patients should avoid self-treatment and rather
consult the most abled and qualified classical homœopath and take the
treatment under his proper guidance and advice.Copyright © Dr. Sayeed Ahmad
2004