Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-10
THE NERVOUS PHORIAS.
Curious Mental Diseases of Modern
Civilized Life.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
The various characteristics of that class of
nervous troubles which are said to- owe more or
less OF their development to the strained cOndi-
tiOns of high civilization are becoming gradu-
ally grouped together. and the neurologists are
giving them descriptive names. Some of these
designations, such, for instance, as photopho-
bia or the aversion to light. have already crept
into general literature, and others which have
been recently added To the list will soon find
their way to most readers The words are re-
cogniZed not only as handy terms with which
70 express q somewhat complicated class of
facts, but they represent wide range of those
nervous feelings which most people have OBJ
served IN themselves or their friends, out oil
which they have hesitated to speak
While the symptoms referred to may be
sometimes indicative of alteration of mind. Il
large majority of persons affected by them have
the troubles in very mild and harmless form,
which often gives rise to amusement rather
than anxiety. In caustrophobia, tor example
the dislike of being in any closed place-we
smile because the victim seems to have q mild
mania OF leaving the doors and windows open.
The trouble in its severe form is described in
recent case in which a lady insisted upon leav-
Ing 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 unable to
derstand that there more danger to be APP
pretended from burglars than from closed
door. Her house was, in fact, twice robbed on
account of her trouble of claustrophoba. In its
opposite, claustrophilia. the person will close up
all doors with excessive care and make mat
tiers warm for her friends during the summer
season.
In agoraphobia, or the fear of crossing a square
or walking across large ROOM we have a very
common trouble, which may be greatly lessened
by being in company with some one Most OF
the troubles are associated 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 anthrophobia,
or the fear OF meeting people Men, and more
especially women. suffering from the trouble,
avoid. wherever it is possible the simplest kind
OF q business interview. They even dislike to
meet any one about the house. and have hor-
Tor of being introduced to people. y case is
cited OF a lady who always ran out of her house
whenever visitor entered. but would return
presently, and then, as If she had done enough
to satisfy her dread, settle down to a chat with
her caller.
PhobOphobia is more serious trouble. The
victim is afraid that something is going to
happen to brighten him. 1t is sometimes de-
veloped through nervous shock, though the
cause, like that of the other nervous 'pho-
bias, seems to be largely hereditary. A ply
stefan describes case in which u man had
progressive nervous symptoms of this kind
after having observed an explosion by which
several people were injured. The patient came
at last to imagining, whenever he walked out
at night, that some one was following him with
evil intentions. His friends were even afraid
TO make gestures while speakin. with him for
fear he would mistake their import. The
recovered under treatment. one patient felt in
constant dread OF some impending 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 diet
airy, restored her completely.
one of the most curious of these affections Is
lately described as toxphobia or the fear OF be-
begins most frequently in ALTERED feeling. SEN
satiOn or impression, unnatural and unaccount-
able TO the victim OF the morbid change; the
Judgment is soon swayed to a remarkable de-
gree, for, despite all vain boastins as to the su-
periority of the intellect over the feelings and
Impulses, the latter usually mould the charac-
ter OF the mental processes and the intellect is
soon captive 10 the unreal impression" The
unfortunate person may be under the convic-
ton that things without and beyond himself
contamnate him, that he has become foul
within, and that everything he touches is NOR
ally or physically befouled. But this is an ex-
IRENE instance. 1t is usually found in the self
accusing religious insane.
a ,physician lately described to the writer two
or three cases of toXi phobia. In one of them the
patient was with difficulty persuaded to pur-
chase the necessary medical Prescriptions He
said he was 'afraid the druggist would put ar
sen1c or something into his medicine" In an
other case man was reported to the doctor as
behaving curiOusly at the table. In cutting
bread he would take his portion from the cen.
tire of the loaf only, and he regularly left the
table to fill his goblet with water at the faucet
He would take no food that offered him.
but always insisted upon helping himself and
invariably took the interior portions of a 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,' said
the physician, was that of one of my patients
who was suffering from great debility. One day
as he entered my office observed that he was
about to faint. placed him at full length upon
sofa and FASTENED TO offer him a spoonful of
ammonia and nitric ether-a mixture often used
In such circumStances-but was greatly sur
prised TO observe look of horror upon my pa
TENTS face and to see his almost imperceptible
gesture of refusal. He went Off into "a faint
almost immediately afterward. and on coming
out OF IL made 20 explanation, nor did cues
ton him. had been treating him for anemia
but now suspected mental trouble, and on con-
sult1ng with his friends found he was n prey to
toxiphObia 1t is "a mistake for people TO CON
ceal such troubles from their doctor. We can
often do great deal tor them, and frequently
Put them in the way of cure when we meet
them in time