F,EIGNED DISEASES. Simulated mala dies. Diseases are generally feigned from one of three causes—fear, shame, or the hope of gain. Thus a man engaged in the military or naval service may pretend to be afflicted with various maladies, in order to escape the performance of military duty ; the mendi cant, to avoid labor and to impose on public or private beneficence ; the criminal, to pre vent the infliction of punishment. The spirit of revenge, and the hope of receiving exorbi tant damages, have also induced some to magnify slight ailments into alarming illness. On this subject, Fodere (vol. ii, 452) observes, at the time when the conscription was in full force in France, "that it is at present brought to such perfection as to render it as difficult to detect a feigned disease as to cure a real one." Zacchias has given five rules for de tecting feigned diseases. (1) Inquiry should be made of the relatives and friends of the suspected individual as to his physical and moral habits, and as to the state of his af fairs and what may possibly be the motive for feigning disease, particularly whether he is not in immediate danger of some punish ment, from which this sickness may excuse him. (2) Compare the disease under exam
ination with the causes capable of producing it; such as the age, temperament, and mode of life of the patient. (3) The aversion of persons feigning disease to take proper reme dies. This indeed will occur in real sickness ; but it rarely happens when severe pain is present. (4) Particular attention should be paid to the symptoms present, and whether they necessarily belong to the disease. (5) Follow the course of the complaint, and at tend to the circumstances which successively occur. Wharton.