National Republican., 1884-11-29
ALL IN THEIR MIND.
Diseases Which Exist Only i'm Their
Frightened Victims Imagination.


Philadelphia Times.
"This is singular case, sure enough
said a young physician yesterday, but
thero nro great many diseases which
exist only in the imaginations of their
supposed victims" Tho doctor had been
reading the story of man who thought
himself victim of heart disease until his
physician discovered that the "crcaking
sound, " of which he complained whenever
he took q deep breath. was caused by
little pulley wheel on n pair OF patent
suspenders which he wore. The doctor
laughed aud laid down his paper.
This is tho first case | evor heard Of
where suspenders were to blame" said
he, "but great deal Of what passes for
heart disease is mild dyspepsia Nervous
moss is an aristocratic name for irrita.
bility and bad temper. and two-thirds Of
the so-called malaria Is nothing but lazi-
ness A fellow practitioner once told mo
Of an old lady he knew Of In Neaburyport,
Mass. She kept hor bed for three years,
and in spite Of her physician's assurances
sho beloved herself hopclessly paralyzed.
One night her grandson got up a ghost to
scare her, snd tho old lady ran half .
milo before they could catch her.
"Uhe longer an hallucination Is in
dulged the moro deeply rooted it becomes.
In many cases it ultimately develops
into monomauia or dolusional insanity.
DIR. S. Weir Mitchell performs many of
his most remarkable cures Of so-callod
nervous diseases simply by his wonderful
success In persuading patients that moth
ing on earth ails them. Few physicians
have the ability to do this, and still fewer
have tho discretion to adopt course of
treatment adapted to the mental peculi-
aritios Of each particular case Sometimes
persuasion Is necessary, but frequently
little tonic combined with good scold-
ing produces the desired result.
when delusion is harmless 1t Is often
the best plan to humor it. A relative Of
mine, who was O clergyman, lived for
several years in my family. He firmly
believed that no could not sleep after
preaching on Sunday night unless he was
put under the influence Of an opiate.
Tmo and again have seen him doze off as
soundly as q tired child after taking n
teaspoouful Of sweetened water, which l
had prescribed rs 'morphia. Without
this harmless little dose. however, he
would toss about restlessly for hours.
THE negroes indulge some very funny
superstitions about diseases and their
cures. Ono Of tho things Of which they
uhNo u poCulluT III tno VII
fculty known as elongstion of tho palate.
| When l was practising as q newly fledged
student in Virginia an old negress called
on me one evening. Her hair was pulled
back from her forehead and knotted with
o cord in tight bunch on the crown Of
her head. She was evidently suffering
from bad cold.
MARS DOCTOR she said, Use afraid
I'se got fallin' OBJ de palate. Use done
tied up my har' as hard as can, but it
don't pear to mako it no better, an
'spects mebby l need some pills
~ examined her throat and found
nothing the matter but slight indamma-
tion. don't think you need any pills,
auntie,' said L. If you can only get your
hair tied up little closer for q day or
two 1 have no doubt your palate
will shorten up all right She came in
again in few days and told me she was
much better, but her ole man had tied
her hair so hard that she had had to sleep
with her eyes open, cause she couldn't
even make wink"