The gazette and Democrat. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1860, 1860-05-10

money is worth 1.-TWO per cent, month"
--have tendency TO relax the system,
while "bauk credits" and "bills receva.
ble" possess wonderful tonic properties.
Many persons have died only because
they thought their time had come: DR..
GeoI ge Moore mentions the case of wo-
man who had her dress torn by a dog;
she imagined that the animal was rabid,
and that the virus had been communica.
ted to her; and, stranger 10 say, her death
occurred soon after, and was proceeded
and accompanied by symptoms of hy'
drophobia. so marked and unmlstakeable
that the Medical Faculty could find no
occasion for SO much as technical dis
tiuction. lie also records The fact that
John Hunter, a distinguished anatomist,
ascribed an affection Of the heart, which
finally terminated his life, 10 an appre.
hension that he had received the poison
into his system, while employed in dissec-
tag the body of an individual who had
died ofhydro2LObia.*
The reader has doubtless been inform.
ed Of the nature and the results Of an ex-
peri ent made on man in France who
had teen condemned for capital offence.
Having his arm concealed so that it was
impossible for him to make observations
through the sense of vision, the culcle
was slightly scratched, without, however,
drawing so much as single drop Of blood.
A hn apfn w
ed over the arm into receptacle. Thus
the S. nsts of feeling and hearing were
made to al in the deception; aud under
the impression thai he must inevitably
expire from the loss of blood, he actual.
ly tainted and died. 1t is also SAID Of a
man who was doomed to be shCt, that he
instantly expired VIXEN a number of sold.
ers-at word-discharged blank cat
ridges at him, and | have somewhere read
of person who died on block, though
the execuloner's axe fell without disturb
ing a hair of lis head.
During the prevalence Of epidemic dis
ease multiludes doubtless fall victims TO
their own morbid apprel onsions. Moth
ing can o more important under such
circumstances than to create new e1cite.
ment in the common mind. When tie
blnck banner Of the Destroyer is unfured
in the sluggish atmosphere Of the DOOM
I'd city the currents Of thought and feeling
all tend IN one general direction. and they
act with sta Il ng and terrible force on
the public health and tie very springs OF
life. On such an occasion a threatened
invasion, or the schock ofan earthquake
might check the pestllcnce and save the
lives Of thousands. Any event tina! would
occasion sudden reaction Of the univer,
sal mind would tend to produce a vi al
equili rum, and hence to change the
electro. chemical and physiological condi.
tions 10 more normal standard.
The destructive power of the mind is
strikingly exhibited in the results ofan ex.
pertinent pei formed, some time since, on
four Russi,ns who had been condemned
10 death for political offences. The res.
der may have seen the account that orig
inally appeared in London medica jour
nal. 1t is, however, too important as an
Illustration of my subject TO be omitted
IN this conneciion. Under the spervis-
ion of distinguished members Of the Med
iual Profession tho convicts were permit,
ted to occupy beds wheleon persons had
died ofopidemic cholera. They were not
however, aware of their exposure, in
this instance. and not one OF them had the
disease. Subsequently. they were in
formed that they must sleep on teds which
had been occupied by cholera patients.
In this case The beds wcre nsW, and had never
been used by any person; nevertheless
under the more potent action OF the mind
three of,he four took the diease in IL
more malignant Iorm-ana died with,
four hours!
Sometimes an important truth obtains
expression in the form Of an ingenious
fiction; and find significant illusra
tion o. my uhjoct in an oriental fable. Il
is represented that the Spirit Of the Pagu,
once met an EaslerL Plinoe, and informed
him that, during the year he should re-
move ten thousand Of his subjects. Be
fore the close Of that year, one handreC
thousand died. Meeting the Prince agar
the Destroyer reminded him of the fulfill
menl Of his prediction. But said IT,,
= Prince, "you have taken one hundred
thousand" "Nay," rcjoined the other
"l removed only ten thousand - Fear tool
2 Tie rest,
Anxiety, like an omniverous worm
gnaws at the root Of our peace; Care, llk,
an ugly old hag, slirs the fires Of lilo tC
put them out; false pride and n selfish
: ambition contribute to waste the nations
health, and lead to fearful prostitution
Of the noblest powers Some die cl chill,
,, brought on by a cold and comtorless
faith; others arc consumed with the burn.
ing fever OF a TOO intense devolion while
many take a melancholy whim, aud give
up tho ghost as houorably as those who
take rope, or prusic acid. Thus thousands
perish every year, the victim of spasmod
10 emotions, and the abnormal operations
of a dSorderly mind. Many of them ex.
pire sadien,y, and at the coroners in.
quest, ir is reported that they died of dis.
case Of tie heart, congestion Of the brain,
excessive h4morrhage, or sudden paralys.
-, But the truth is, the primary causes
are back ofall such physical effects
Some die from extreme fear; others from
intense anger; others still from its ofjeal-
ousy, or from dep and silent sorrow
many are killed by an aN'conqueriag idea
and not frw from that uuconquerable yet