Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-07-19
WHY HEARTS BREAK.
A Phyaioian's Matter of-Fact solution
of tho YexIng problem.

"a healthy man or woman does not
die Of a broken heart" well-known
physician said. "a healthy heart is
only big muscle, and nobody can have
grief enough to break it. When,
therefore, a blooming young widow
shows apparently inconceiyable grief
at the death of her husband, and in a
short time RECEIVERS her equanimity, she
ought not to be accused of hypocrisy.
Neither may it be concluded that
another woman who soon pines and
dies has had more affection for her
husband than the first. The first
widow may have even more affection
than the other, but have been sustain
ed by physical health.
"It is erroneous tosuppose that death
by heart disease Is always sudden. 1t
Is very commonly protracted for years,
and exists undetected by most skillful
physicians only to be developed by
some sudden occurrence. There was
an eminent physician of Brooklyn, in
active practice, who died within an
hour Of the time when he was about
to lecture. He was SO we'll, that after
examination by skillful physicians of a
6rst-class insurance company, he was
declared perfectly sound, and policy
for $4,000 insurance on his life reach
ed his home before his body was cold.
The cause of death was a mystery
until the post-mortem examination, by
DR.. John G. Johnson, of Brooklyn,
showed that little piece Of chalky de-
posit in the heart had become loosened
and formed an embolism. The man
had simply taken some specimens out
of his desk, and he died in his chair
without any excitement or undue
effort. Any little excitement might
have done it, and then his death would
have been cited as that from broken
heart.
"SO-cal!ed deaths from broken hearts
may be frequently traced in this way.
One exertion rs well as another may
furnish the requisite elimination.
Medical books are filed with instances
Of death by heart disease during tho
performance Of pleasurable functions.
When man is nearly dead it is easy
to put on him the finishing stroke, bul
1t is inaccurate TO give the finishing
touch all the blame of his death.
When a woman loses her husband, or
a girl loses her lover, and by nervous
exhaustion, loss Of sleep. lack of nour-
ishment, and grief, weakens the action
Of her heart, she is said TO die Of .
broken heart, but she has, in fact died
of yeIy ordinary disease
"The case Of Bill Poole, living for
ten days with a ball in his heart. is
often spoken Of as remarkable, but Dr.
Flint records a case where a man had
a ball in his heart twenty years, and
finally died Of pneumonia. Both these
men had healthy hearts, and could not
have had them broken by grief Yet.
In fact, more women than men die OF
heart disease. out OF sixty-one OH
served cases, thirty-seven were male.
Another record showed that in sixty.
two cases Of rupture of the heart, thero
was fatty degeneration existing In
other words, where fat is substituted
for muscle, the organ is easily broken.
If any Of these people had been sub
jected 10 sudden grief, they might have
furnished illustrations of heart-breah-
ing. One medical observer records ono
hundred cases Of rupture Of the heart
where there was no grief TO account
for it. In fact, grief is a very raro
cause Of heart-breaking.
Disease is the real cause of heart
breaking, and the various kinds Of dis
ease which leads to It are so many that
volumes would be necessary TO describe
them. The cause Of these diseases are
manifold, and are very much under
the control of the individual. There
are, Of course, hereditary tendencies to
heart disease; but aside from traumatio
causes, these tendencies may exist for
years without fatal result.
ut is a curious fact that the least
dangerous heart disease often creates
the most apprehensions. Frequently
patients who have only functional or
durable disorder will not be persuaded
that calamity does not impend.
although there may be no real danger
On the other hand, organic diSeaseS
may exist unsupported. There are
sympathetic relations between tho
rpind and the heart, and disorders Of