In the 18th century, there were early accounts of weeping and other symptoms recurring almost every month, and in 1822 Prichard gave this description: “Many women … display a degree of excitement and irritation … at the period of menstruation; these are chiefly females of very irritable habits. In such instances, … an unusual vehemence of feeling and expression is observed … or there is torpor and dejection of mind with a despondent disposition”. In 1827 a German mother was acquitted of infanticide on the grounds of menstrual mood disorder. Premenstrual tension was also described in the French literature of the early 19th century. Nearly one hundred years later, there were American descriptions of a cyclic personality change appearing 10-14 days before, and ending dramatically at the menses.