Morning journal and courier., 1885-07-21
NERVOUS ssPHoBIAs..
Curious Mental Diseases of Modern Civilized Life.

Curious Mental Diseases of Modern Civilized Life.
 From the New York Sum-
 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 becom- ing gradually grouped together, and the neu- rologists are giving them descriptive names. Some of these designations, such, for in- stance, as photophobia, or the aversion to
 light, have already crept into general litera-
 ture, and others which have been recently added to the list will soon find their way to most readers. The words are recognized not only as handy terms with which to express
 somewhat complicated class of facts, but they represent wide range of those nervous feelings which most people have observed in themselves or their friends, but of which they have hesitated to speak.
 While the symptoms referred to may be sometimes indicative of alteration of mind d large majority of persons affected by them have the troubles in very mild and harm less form, which often give rise to amuse- nent rather than anxiety. In elaustropho- bia, for example-the dislike of being in any closed place-we smile because the victim seems to have mild mania for leaving the doors ana W1QOOWS open. The GrOuDl6 III ITS severe form is described in a recent case in which lady insisted upon leaving her hall loor open at inconvenient times, and would even leave her bed in the middle of the night 70 open it. In her case settled disease re- suited, for she became at last unable to un- uerstand that there was more danger to be apprehended from burglars than from 8 closed door. Her house was, in fact, twice robbed on account of her trouble of claus trophobia. In it's opposite, claustrophilia, 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 a square or walking across a large room, we nave a very common trouble, which may be greatly lessened by being in company with some one. Most of the troubles are associa- ted with a 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 business interview. They even dislike to meet anyone about the house and have horror of being introduced to people. A case is cited of a lady who al- ways ran out of her house whenever a visi- tor entered, but would return presently, and then, as if she had done enough to satisfy her dread, settle down to chat with her caller.
 Phobophobia is more serious trouble. The victim is afraid that something is going to happen to frighten him. It is sometimes developed through nervous shock, though the cause, like that of the other nervous ''phobias," seems to be largely hereditary. A physician describes case in which man had progressive nervous symptoms of this kind after having observed explosion by which several people were injured. The pa tient came at last to imagining, whenever he walked out at night, that someone fol- lowing him with evil intentions. 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 impending calamity, though her life had been especially free from acci- dental 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 dl- etary, restored her completely.
 One of the most curious of these affections is lately described as toxiphobia, or the fear of being poisoned. Dr. c. M. 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 q remarkable degree, for despite all vain boosting as to the superiority of the intel lect over the feelings and impulses, the lat ter usually mold the character of the mental processes and the intellect is soon captive to the unreal impression" The unfortunate person may be under the conviction that things without and beyond himself contami- mated him that he has become foul with in, and that everything he touches is morally or physically befouled. But this is an ex- ota iS T1sual1x, fonnH in he self-accusng religious insane.
 A physician lately described to the writer two or three cases of toxiphobia. In one of them the patient was with difficulty persua- ded to purchase the necessary medical pre- scriptions. He said he was ''afraid the drug gist would put arsenic something into his meeicine'' In another city man was re- ported to the doctor as behaving curiously at the table. In cutting bread he would take his portion from the center of the loaf only !, and he regularly left the table to fill his goD- let with water at the faucet. He would take no food that was offered to him, but always insisted upon helping 'mself and invariably
 took the interior portlo- >t a dish. As his affection progressed his suspicious dread be- came more profound, and his friends took him to the doctor after two or three cooks had been discharged as offensive to him. 'sThe most curious case of toxiphobia, :" said the physician, twas that of one of my patients who was suffering from great debili- ty. One day as he entered my office ob- served that he was about to faint. I placed him at full length upon a sofa and hastened to offer him 8 spoonful of ammonia and nj tric ether-a mixture often used in such GIT cumstances-but was greatly surprised to observe 8 look of horror upon my patients face and to see his almost imperceptible ges- ture of refusal. He went off in faint al most immediately afterward, and on coming out of it made no explanation nor did ques- tion him. I had been treating him for anae- mia, but now suspected mental trouble, and on consulting with his friends found he was a prey to toxiphobia. It is mistake for people to conceal such troubles from their doctor. We can often do great deal for them, and frequently put them in the way of cure when we meet them in time"