River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-07-24
IMAGINED DISEASE.


From the Brooklyn Eagle, july 3.
Entwistle, the printer, who was bitten
10y dog in April last, died yesterday.
Some believe he died of hydro
phobia still more believe that he lied
merely of the fear of it. As it is APP
parent that the disease is a sealed book
Of science, either belief may be the true
one. That the imagination will kill is
certain. Many of our readers will re-
member the case of the gardener at
either Heidleburg or Gottingen. This
man was working III the garden ON a
fresh spring morning, III the very prime
of health. A student passed him with
the words
All, Fritz, passed bad night, sh?"
No, sir, Never felt better"
" I'm glad TO hear it. Thought you
looked pale. Your garden looks beauti-
full, Fritz.
Thank you, sir"
Comes along another student.
Good morning, Fritz"
Good morning, sir.
System little ont of order ?"
=" No. sir p
You look bad, heavy eyed, and
pale. 4"
Didn't know it, sir"
." A mere spring debility, suppose.
Good morning"
Fritz (sotuS)-I do feel sort Of
queer like.
Comes along professor.
" Well, Fritz, how are the violets 2
" Beautiful, sir, beautiful.
" You don't look very beautiful.
What's the matter with you? Let me
see your tongue. Your forehead clammy
too. | think you'd better go home to
bed, Fritz.
do feel queer, sir. +"
/ should think You would. Go to
bed. Keep quiet for a few days"
believe / will, sir.
g ! see DR. Brock coming this way
ask him. Good day, Fritz, am sorry
TO see you in this state"
Good day, sir.
Up comes the Doctor.
Doctor, what's the matter with
me?"
"Springoliana, Fritz, evidently. Get
to bed, my man. And here send this 10
the disponsary, and take tablespoon
ful every hour. Don't eat until | see
you again. I'll call after the lecture is
over, however. BE very careful. I'll
bring Doctor Wolf with me to see you.
1t is n curious case.
Fritz went To bed. The doctors
came. They walked on tiptoe spoke
in whispers. They darkened the room
They gave him medicinc-i.c., spoons
full Of pure water, and pills made Of
bread.
They left him. That night Fritz
grew weaker and weaker. And in the
morning the students and the faculty
were shocked with terror and Mortified.
in the midst of their laughter at poor
Fritz's fears, when his weeping daueh
ter came Co tell them that her stout.
strong father of 30 odd years lay dead
at home--dcad of phantasy There
is no ease better authenticated.
Another case is that of the French
criminal condemned 10 death. and
given To the doctors TO experiment
upon. He pleaded for an easy death.
and they gave it TO him in this wise
They stretched him, naked, on table
his eyes, placed basins O
water at his arms and knees, pricked |
him with pin, not drawing blood even. !
They cropped from four walls little |
drops into the basins, SO that the I'M
fortunate man could hear a continuous
Trip, caused. he supposed, 10y the trick
ing of his own blood. The doctors
held their watches.
Another half hour and il will be |
'yer You don't feel any pain, do
rou?"
" No, doctor, but feel my strength
,oing.
" OF course of course. 1t is like
alliug into sleep"
In an hour aud n quarter the poor
elbow was dead.
Several other examples of the power
IF imagination over life, us well anthem
icated MS either of the foregoing,
night be cited but these will suffice.
We now come to the last case. that Of
he man Entwistle, who died yesterday.
In this last case Entwistle's magma
ion was worked on 10y the stir i'm the
papers regarding hydrophobia His
became excited at the mar.
'at'ycs told him in the papers, and out
II Il N, about its dreadful effects. The
lear Il begot Of water. the irrepressible
tendency To initiate the cuntortions he
had read or heard of, displayed the ma
na that attends an imagination excited 4
,o the utmost 10y fears OF what il will I
suffer and which accepts as present
that which at first it only feared for