Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-23
The Painting Fit.

From Harper's BaZar
Women faint much more frequently than
men do and young women than older ones.
Yet old women do faint, and q fainting tit is
more dangerous with them than with the
Others, and even strong men now and then
s1ccumb TO the same weakness. OF course
where there is disease of the heart, occasionny
the phenomena of fainting. it has no respect of
age or sex or person. In cases of what ia
known as fatty degeneration of the heart or as
a result of profuse hemorrhage, faintipg be-
comes invested with great danger. and the
event may even be fatal. the subject never
coming out of the state of syncope. But in
most instances faintlng is mere functional
affair. implying nothing serious beyond the
moment; III fact, being more OF relief than
otherwise. and more lnjurlOus-by means of
the fright it gives them-to others than it is to
the patient.
The act of fainting may be said to be usually
OF nervous OrlSIn-horror. fear, joy, the sight
OF blood or of anything revolving, the receipt
OF nauseatlng odors, experience of foul air. or
sudden shocks. all serving to produce loss of
senslbllity; or it may be occasioned by trouble
of the stomach by extremes of heat or cold
and by long and excessive pain. OF course
there are various degrees of fainting some
people merely seeing the world turn black and
vanish while retaining consciousness ana others
losing themselves completely. and being to all
visible intent and purpose as dead as they ever
viii be. Ia some the heart will beat percepti-
bly,. if slightly. and the breath will be present
hutteringy; III others there will be no pulse to
be found. and no breath to be detected; and
while with some the affair may be of moments
in Others II may be of hours: usually, however
moments determine 1t. In all cases the face is
plnched and pale; the heart refusing blood both
to the brain and TO the surface OF the body
leaves the system without consciousness the
countenance bloodless. and the skin cold The
remedies shonld be immediate, although under
favorable circumstances nature herself assumes
remedial duty. The patient should at once be
laid fiat upon the back the head lower than
| the rest OF the body, in order to restore the
circulation by gravity; indeed many of those
subject to taintlng, upon feeling the first
symptoms. ALLOW themselves to sink into that
position for if they do not they have learned
that nature will usually thow them into
1t unasked. and perhaps hurt them in doing So
unless she be barred by a STRAIGHTFORWARD seat
out Of which sliding is impossible, or by a
bracing and upholding crowd The next thing
TO be done is to loosen all the clothes, SO that
the heart and lungs may have free play. Fol-
lowing this plenty OF fresh air should
be allowed the patient and a counter-shock
should be administered in the shape of a dash
OF cold water and the vapor of some pungent
| salts. These simple measures will generally
give complete resuscitation. but IL they do not
| there should be no time lost in bringing ply
stefan TO the rescue.
Young and sentimental girls often have an
idea that there Is something peculiarly romantic
| and attractive attaching to them when fainting
Never was there greater mistake. Could they
once see themselves, pallid and pinched and
gasping, they would never wish any one for
whose admiration they cared to have that same
privilege. A susceptibility to fainting can be
encouraged, like one to hysteria; but lovers
who have any common-sense will not allow
themselves to be seriously bewitched by any
one liable to such troublesome and unpleasant
contingencies as either, health being of all
things that most to be desired about them by
those who wish to lead q pleasant life or to
develop their powers.