Alexandria Daily Advertiser

From the Charleston Courier.

Mr. EDITOR,

IF you think the inclosed essay worth publication on some day when a dearth of political matter leaves you room for lighter subjects, you are heartily welcome to it.

M. M.

Important Medical Communication
ON
THE DISEASE OF SCOLDING.

FROM the days of the Spectator to the present time, periodical writers have indulged in invectives against scolding, from an evident misconception of the true nature, principles, and practice of scolding. Nay, our ancestors were more to blame, because they went farther, and considering scolding as a crime, invented a punishment for it. Much light has never been thrown upon the subject; but as I have made it my particular study for the last 35 years, that is ever since I entered into the happy state of matrimony, I hope I shall have it in my power to dispel the darkness of ignorant and persecuting times, and contribute something to eradicate those unreasonable prejudices, which many gentlemen of our own days entertain against scolding.

The theory of scolding has been grossly mistaken. That which is a disease has been considered as a fault; whereas in fact scolding is a disease, principally of the lungs; and when the noxious matter has been long pent up, it affects the organs of speech in a very extraordinary manner, and is discharged with a violence which, while it relieves the patient, tends very much to disturb and frighten the beholders, or persons that happen to be within hearing.

Such is my theory of scolding; and if we examine all the appearances which it presents, in different families, we shall find that they all confirm this doctrine. It is therefore the greatest cruelty, and the greatest ignorance, to consider it as a crime. A person might as well be in jail for a fever or transported for the gout, as punished for scolding, which is to all intents and purposes a disease arising from the causes already mentioned.

Nor is it only a disease of itself, but it is also, when improperly treated the cause of many other disorders. Neglected scoldings has often produced fits, of which a remarkable instance may be found in a treatise written by Doctor Colman, entitled The Jealous Wife, in the fourth Chapter, or act, as he calls it of that celebrated work. On the other hand where the scolding matter has been long pent up, without any vent, I have little doubt that it may bring on consumptions of the lungs and those dreadful hysterical disorders, which if not speedily fatal, at least embitter the lives of many worthy members of society. All these evils might have been averted if the faculty had considered scolding in the light of a disease, & had treated it accordingly. In pursuance of my theory, I now proceed to the

SYMPTOMS.

The symptoms of scolding are these:-- a quick pulse, generally about one hundred beats in a minute; the eyes considerably inflamed, especially in persons who are fat, or reside near Wapping. A flushing in the face very often to a great degree; at other time in the course of the fit, the colour goes and comes in a most surprising manner; and irregular but violent motion of the hands and arms, and stamping with the right foot; the voice exceedingly loud, and as the disorder advances, it becomes hoarse and inarticulate, and the whole frame is agitated. After these symptoms have continued some time, they gradually and in some cases very suddenly go off; a plentiful effusion of water comes from the eyes, and the patient is restored to health--but the disorder leaves a considerable degree of weakness, and a peculiar foolishness of look especially if any strangers have been present during the fit. The memory too is, I conceive, somewhat impaired, the patient appears to retain a very imperfect recollection of what passed, and if put in mind of any circumstances, obstinately denies them. These symptoms it may be supposed will vary considerably, in different patients, but where they appear at one time there can be very little doubt of the disorder.

PREDISPOSING CAUSES.

In all diseases, a knowledge of the predisposing causes will be found to assist us in the cure. In the present case these causes are, irritability of the vascular system, an exaltation of the passions, and a moderate deficiency of natural temper.
OCCASIONAL CAUSES

The occasional causes of scolding are many. Among them may be enumerated the throwing down of a china basin, misplacing a hat, or a pair of gloves, or an umbrella; leaving a door open, over doing the meat, under doing the same, spilling the soup, letting the fire go out, mistaking the hour, &c. &c. &c. with many others, which I do not think it necessary to enumerate, because these causes are so very natural, that we cannot prevent them, and because whatever the occasional cause of the disorder may be, the symptoms are the same and the mode of cure the same.

CURE.

Various remedies have been thought of for this distemper, but all, hitherto, of the rough and violent kind, which, therefore, if they remove the symptoms for the present, leave a greater disposition toward the disorder than before. Among these the common people frequently prescribe the application of an oak stick, a horse-whip, or a leather strap, or belt, which, however, are all liable to the objection I have just stated. Others have recommended argumentation--but this, like consolation, will not produce the desired effect, unless the patient be, in some degree, prepared to receive it. Some have advised a perfect silence in all persons who are near the patient: but I must say, that wherever I have seen this tried, it has rather heightened the disorder by bringing on fits. The same thing may be said of obedience, or letting the patient have her own way. This is precisely like giving drink in a dropsical case, or curing a burning fever by throwing in great quantities of brandy.

As the chief intention of this paper was to prove that scolding is a disease, and not a fault, I shall not enlarge much on the mode of cure; because the moment my theory is adopted, every person will be able to treat the disorder secundum artem. I shall mention however, the following prescription, which I never found to fail, if properly administered:

Take--Of Common Sense, thirty grains.
Decent Behaviour, one scruple,
Due Consideration, ten grains,
Mix, and sprinkle the whole with one moment's thought, to be taken as soon as any of the occasional causes appear.

By way of diet, though it is not necessary to restrict the patient to a milk or vegetable diet, yet I have always found it proper to guard them against strong or spirituous liquors, or any thing that tends to heat the blood.

But it is now expedient that I should state a matter of very great importance in the prevention of this disorder, and which I have left till now, that my arguments on the subject may appear distinct, and may be comprehended under one view. It is commonly supposed, and indeed has often been asserted, that this disorder is peculiar to one only of the sexes; and, I trust, I need not add what sex that is. But although it may be true that they are most liable to it, yet it is certain, from the theory laid down respecting the pre-disposing causes, that the men are equally in danger. Why then do we not find as many males afflicted with scolding as we do females? For this plain reason: scolding, as proved above, is the effect of a certain noxious matter pent up.

Now this matter engenders in men, as well as in women: but the latter have not the frequent opportunities for discharging it, which the men enjoy. Women are, by fashion and certain confined modes of life, restrained from all those public companies, clubs, assemblies, coffee houses, &c. &c. where the men have continual opportunity of discharging the cause of the disorder, without its ever accumulating in so great a quantity as to produce the symptoms I have enumerated. This, and this only, is the cause why the disease appears most often in the female sex. I would propose, therefore, if I were a legislator, or if I had influence enough to set a fashion, that the ladies should, in all respects, imitate the societies of the men: that they should have their clubs, their coffee houses, disputing societies, and even their parliament. In such places, they would be able to take that species of exercise that tends to keep down the disorder, which at present accumulates in confinement, and, when nature attempts a discharge, the explosion is attended with all the violence and irregularities I have before enumerated.

Thus much I have ventured to advance respecting scolding, and I hope that I shall succeed in abating those unreasonable prejudices which have been fostered by an affected superiority in our sex, joined to a portion of ignorance, which, to say the least, renders that superiority a matter of great doubt. I have only to add, that my motives for all this have been perfectly pure.
disinterested, and that I shall be very happy to give advice to any person labouring under the disorder. Letters (post paid) may be addressed to CELSUS BOERHAAVE, M. D.
PHILADELPHIA, July 11.