Wichita eagle., 1888-10-31
IMAGINARY DISEASE.
ILLS INTENSIFIED AND MORBID FAN
CIES HARD TO CURE.


driae-Cancer and Heart Disease in the
AIind-A Case in q New York Hospital
Cured in Fifteen Minutes.
The writer called on . number OF prom
inent physicians and asked them If, among
their patients, they bad many who mag
ined they had diseases which they did not
have. Some very interesting information
was obtained The doctors said it was
found to be very common trouble. and
thatj the chief diseases these people I'M
agine they have ere cancer, heart disease
and Bright's disease In the language OF
the profession. the complaint is known a.
hypochondriasis.
1t was found that the disease is often
epidemic. At the time of Gen. Grants
sickness and death from cancer of the
throat. and during the illness of the late
LASER Friedrich, hundreds OF people with
nothing serious at all the matter with
them called upon Dr.. Shrady, who attend
ed Gen Grant. and told him they had can
Ger Of the throat coming on and wished
to be treated for it.
One celebrated physician. who made
special study Of the disease, said that it
was worthy Of note that in all these cases
the patient reasons correctly-that Is. he
draws lust differences from the error.
Thus the Prince of Bourbon, when he
supposed himself to be plant, reasoned
Justly when he insisted upon being
watered with the rest of the plants every
day In like manner, the hypochondriac
who supposes himself to be dead reasons
with the same correctness when he
stretches his body and limbs on the bed
Dr. a board and assumes the stiffness and
silence Of dead man.
The following is from the records of
one of the New York hospitals house
surgeons:
1T was on July that Q man Of small
stature, who was found afterwards to be
a shoemaker by trade, who was apparent
ly about 40 years Of age, escaped from his
home and was running at large in the
streets of the city. decorating his flesh
and beating his head against the sides OF
houses. A number Of citizens managed
to capture him, and they brought him to
the hospital followed by big crowd.
With his arms tied behind him, and In
the greatest agony, his face bruised and
swollen, his lips torn to pieces and
streaming with blood, he was ushered
into the hospital by those who had him in
charge. ! met them at the door and in
quired into the case The man was eager
to tell his own story, but with difficulty
collected words to convey it. His Ian
guage was copious. but his agitation SO
great that he could hardly utter a SEN
tence, being interrupted by constant
efforts to tear his lips to pieces. Those
with him knew nothing except that they
had prevented him from beating out his
own brains. At length he conveyed the
information where his distress was, and
upon which his mind was deluded. In
his upper lip he said there was q worm
gnawing his flesh and penetrating into
his body, and unless he could tear it out
the worm would soon be beyond his reach
and inevitably destroy him. This was
the cause Of his misery He was assured
of the possibility of relief, and with q
smiling countensnce patted him on the
shoulder and babe him no longer be I'M
easy, for would cut out the worm. His
eyes sparkled, and in an instant he re-
piled, viii your Do it then. Do it,
quick, for Gods sake
''He was urged not to despair, for
was now ready to remove the insect prey
ing upon his flesh. Accordingly, we went
to the cells of the maniacs. When being
seated he fixed himself for the operation.
l paraded six lancets on the table before
him. By making q display Of this and
other preparations and sending for assist
ance he became composed. waiting with
patience the result. In the meantime
had sent in search of the worm. The
person sent, being unsuccessful, stayed
too long and hurried out the door and
picked from the ground one Of the large
worms or caterpillars which infested the
poplar trees at that time and had fallen
from the trees by the door. One end of
the insect had been trodden upon, and it
was nearly dead. This got, and ON re-
turning found my patients uneesiness
increased But upon seeing me take the
instruments he fixed himself in the chair
and requested my assistants, the apoth-
ecary and the orderly man, to hold his
hands lest he should start while under
pain Of the cutting instrument.
with lancet the operation was begun.
pricked his lip With 1t, which made him
finch a little. He accordingly leaned
back his head firmly against the person
who stood behind him. and shut bis eyes
tightly, and thus fixed he bore the re-
peated pricks of the instrument with
steadiness and fortitude. After pinching
his lip with one hand and wounding it
with the other, l cut of portion of the
upper lip which he had torn with his
nails and which was pendulous. now
assured him that the operation was nearly
completed, for the head Of the worm could
be seen. The bystanders cried out: There
it is! there it is! He raised eyes to see,
ute longer, at which he again shut his
7
drew the edge Of the lancet across the
him., opened my hand and exposed the
great worm.
Tho man rose from his seat and gazed
at the worm with establishment beyond
utteranca At length he spoke and re-
with tranquility, his friends had said he
was crazy. but this would be an evidence
to the contrary.
THE result OF this deceptive operation
was perfect cure, end this remarkable
change was effected in less than fifteen
minutes after tho patient entered the
hospital"
The best doctors sag thst tie causes Of
the disease lie in conditions usually OBJ
scure, which lower the tone of the geo.
eral health CT depress tie vitality Of the
brain, either by physical wesr Or mental
worry. Disappointment, bad habits,
want Of proper mental occupation. often
cause the trocble.- The treatment con.
eists In measures to improve the general
health. especially 8 full Diet, carefully
selected; hydro-therspe1tics. massage.
gymnastics, horseback riding, walking.
rowing, abundant and agreeable exercise
in the open str. end the management Of