into his hand without causing dread, and shortly the living insect no
longer disturbed him.

[Footnote 1: "Curiosities of Medical Experience," London, 1837, vol.
ii., p. 246.]

I knew a gentleman who could not eat soft crabs without experiencing an
attack of diarrhea. As he was exceedingly fond of them, he persevered in
eating them, and finally, after a long struggle, succeeded in conquering
the trouble.

Individuals with idiosyncrasies soon find out their peculiarities, and
are enabled to guard against any injurious result to which they would be
subjected but for the teachings of experience.

Idiosyncrasies may be temporary only--that is, due to an existing
condition of the organism, which, whether natural or morbid, is of a
transitory character. Such, for instance, are those due to dentition,
the commencement or the cessation of the menstrual function, pregnancy,
etc. These are frequently of a serious character, and require careful
watching, especially as they may lead to derangement of the mind. Thus,
a lady, Mrs. X, was at one time under my professional care, who, at the
beginning of her first pregnancy, acquired an overpowering aversion to
a half-breed Indian woman who was employed in the house as a servant.
Whenever this woman came near her she was at once seized with violent
trembling, which ended in a few minutes with vomiting and great mental
and physical prostration, lasting several hours. Her husband would have
sent the woman away, but Mrs. X insisted on her remaining, as she was a
good servant, in order that she might overcome what she regarded as an
unreasonable prejudice. The effort was, however, too much for her, for