The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-07-17
NERVOUS "PHOBIAS."
CURIOUS MENTAL DISEASES OF MOD
ERN CIVILIZED LIFE.
characteristics Of q Glass of Nervous
Troubles Which Owe Their Existence
to the Strained Conditions Of
High Civilization.
New York Sun.l

The various characteristics OF that class
Of nervous troubles which are said to owe
more or less of their development to the
strained conditions OF high civilization are
becoming gradually grouped together, and
the neurologists are giving them descriptive
names. Some Of these designations, such,
for instance. as photophobia, or the, aversion
to light, have already crept into genera,
literature, and Others which have been re-
Gently added to the list will soon find their
way to most eaders The words are recog-
nized not only as handy terms with which
to express a somewhat complicated class Of
facts, but they represent a wide range of
those nervous feelings which most people
have observed in themselves or their
friends but of Wa ich they have hesitated to
speak.
While the symptoms referred to may be
sometimes Indicative OF alteration Of mind,
large majority of persons affected by them
have the troubles in a very mild and harm
less form, which often gives rise to amuse-
ment rather than anxiety. In claustro-
phobia, for example-the dislike of being in
any closed place-we smile because the vic
tim seems to have a mild mania of leaving
the doors and windows open. The trouble
in its severe form Is described in a recent
case in which lady insisted upon leaving
her hall door open at inconvenient times,
and would even leave her bed in the middle
Of the night to open it. In her case settled
disease resulted, for she became at last un-
able to understand that there was more dan
ger to be apprehended from burglars than
from Q closed door. Her house was, in fact,
twice robbed on account OF her trouble of
claustrophobia. In its opposite. claustro-
philia, the person will close up all the doors
with excessive care, and make matters
warm for her friends during the summer
season.
In agoraphobia, or the fear of crossing q
square or walking across large room. we
have q very common trouble, which may be
greatly lessened by being in company with
some one. Most of the troubles are asso-
ciated with kind Of fear or nervous dread.
Thus atremia describes the fear of moving
from place where we are seated, or even
Of getting out of bed.
One of the quite recent terms Is anthro-
phobia, or the fear Of meeting people. Men,
and more especially women, suffering from
the trouble, avoid, wherever it is possible,
the simplest kind Of a business interview
They even dislike to meet any one about the
house, and have horror of being intro
duced to people. A case Is cited Of lady
who always ran out of her house whenever
visitor entered, but would return pres
entity, and then, as II she had done enough
to satisfy her dread, settle down to a chat
with her caller.
The victim is afraid that something is GO
ing to happen to frighten him. 1t is some
times developed through nervous shock,
though the cause, like that of the other
nervous "phobiaS," seems to be largely
hereditary. A physician describes a case in
which q man had progressive nervous symp-
toms Of this kind after having observed an
explosion by which several people were in
s.'-~d The patient came at last to imagin-
ing, whenever ne walked out at night, that
some one was following him with evil in
tsntions. His friends were even afraid to
make gestures while speaking with him for
fear he would mistake their import. The
man recovered under treatment One
patient felt in constant dread Of some i'm
pending calamity, though her life had been
especially free from accidental troubles
She would speak Of these fears to her friends
until they became almost out Of patience
with her. She was not able in any instance
to state what she feared. A change of air
and scene, with a suitable dietary, restored
her completely.
One Of the most curious Of these affections
is lately described as toxiphobia, or the fear
Of being poisoned. DR.. c. NJ. Hughes states
that it begins most frequently in ALTERED
feeling, sensation, or impression, unnatural
and unaccountable to the victim of the NOR
bid change; the judgment Is soon swayed to
remarkable degree, for despite all vain
boasting as to the superiority of the intel
lect over the feelings and impulses, the latter
usually mould the character of the mental
processes and the intellect Is soon captive
to the unreel impression" The unfortunate
person may be under the conviction that
things without and beyond himself contamin-
ated him or thathe has become foul within,
and that everything he touches IL morally or
physically befouled. But this Is an extreme
accusing religious insane
A ply ysician latsly described to the writer
two or three cases Of toxiphobia- In one of
them the patient was with difficulty per-
suaded to purchase the necessary medical
prescriptions. He said he was @afraid the
druggist would put arsenic or something
into his medicine" In another city a man
was reported to the doctor as behaving curl.
ously at the table. In cutting bread he
would take his portion from the center of
the loaf only, and he regularly left the table
20 fill his goblet with water at the faucet
him, but always ipisted upon helping him
self, and invariably took the interior Dor
tions Of dish As his affection progressed
his suspicious dread became more profound,
and his friends took him TO the doctor after
two or three cooks had been discharged as
offensive to him
"The most curious case Of toxiphobia," I"
said the physician, awas that of one of my
patients. who was suffering from great de-
hlity. One day as he entered my Office
observed that he was about 10 faint I
PLACED bin st full length upon o sofa and
hastened to offer him spoonful OF am
monia and nitric ether-a mixture often
used in such circumstancss-butw was greatly
surprised to observe look of horror upon
my patients face and to see his almost i'm
perceptible gesture Of refusal He went of
in a faint almost Immediately afterward,
and on coming out Of 1t made no explana.
tion. nor did question him. had been
treating him for an@mis, but now suspected
mental trouble, and on consulting with his
friends found be was prey to toxiphobia.
It ts . mistake for people to conceal such
troubles from their doctor. We can often
do q great deal for them. and frequently
put them in the way Of cure when we meet
them in time"