(From furo, to be mad, and uterus the womb,) acrai, brachuna, astromunia, aras-con, arsatum. Dr. Cullen calls it nymphomania; and places it in the class locales, and order dysorexia. He defines it an unrestrained desire for venereal enjoyment: but there is one species, varying only in its degree. It is a kind of madness, or an high degree of hysteria; and its immediate cause a preternatural irritability of the uterus and pudenda of women, or an unusual acrimony of the fluids in these parts.

The disease is known by the wanton behaviour of the patient: she speaks and acts with unrestrained obscenity, and, as the disorder increases, scolds, cries, and laughs, by turns. While reason is retained, she is silent and melancholy; but her eyes discover an unusual wantonness, which is soon manifested by every word and action.

In general, it is relieved by time and medicines, more often by matrimony; but it sometimes degenerates into mania.

Bleeding is sometimes useful; but the best remedy is camphor, in doses of ten to fifteen grains, with nitre, and small doses of the tinct. opii, at intervals. The cerussa acetatta has been given in doses of three to five grains; and cooling purges have been repeated in proportion to the violence of symptoms with advantage. Injections of barley water, with a small quantity of hemlock juice, have been recommended; but we know not with what success they have been employed. The regulation of the mind; avoiding improper company, either of young men, or, what is infinitely more dangerous, wanton women; is of the highest importance. See Riverius's Practice of Physic.