Wichita eagle., 1888-12-01
IMAGINATION CURE.
KEY TO THE MYSTERY OF A CLASS
OF OBSCURE PHENOMENA.
A Story OF voodocssm In South Carolina
A Bogus Charn-Dr. Carpenter On tx
Pec4zat Attention and It's Efscas-Sor-
cery and Witchcrzf.

A South Carolina story appeared TIE other
day, which, rightly considered, throws Uuch
light upon the interesting subject OF negro
superstitions, and, n fact, popular supersti-
tio1s generally. A negro WOMAN mad been
Ii for some time, and ''phyxcigns were in
vain" % at last she consulted voodoo doc
tor, who prescribed application to q local
sorcerer Of repute The sorcerer oracularly
declared that search Of the sick vomans
premises would reveal the presence of
charm by which she had been ''voodooed,H
and gave description o. what would De
found Now the husband Of the sick WOMAN
told doctor al about the alleged charm,
and the doctor for JOKE fabricated 8 ch.rLa
20 answer the description, and hid II where
is would be found.
So tar all is plain sailing, but what appears
TO be regarded as extraordinary is the fact
that from the moment the bogus charm was
unearthed the patient began 70 rneEd, and
rapidly regained Ter normal state OF health
This Is referred 20 as the s1raugest part OF
the story" but really the strengest part Of
the story Is the circumstance that at this day
any one should think the matter at al U1ys-
uerious, or should fail to apprehend the
obvious and perfectly simple explanation
Of it.
MOST POTENT ENERGY.
What cured this woman-and there Is no
inherent improbability IN the statement that
she is cured-was what cures Thousands Of
people who have been made sick BY it il the
first place 1t was, ID a word, imagination,
which is, however psychicsl is nature, among
the most potent OF physical agencies. The
mass Of authentic evidence going 70 show
that the Imagination can and commonly does
influence the body in the most direct and
powerful manner long since put beyond con-
troversy the fact taa. body IS under the con-
troll OF mind 70 an extent which might seem
scarcely credible TO such as have not studied
the subject
DR.. ". B. Carpenter. IN his admirable
treatise on mental physiology, prefers to de-
nominate the influence which effects organic
changes in cases Of disease ''expecoant at
tention." His theory is-and it is now gen
orally eccepted-thau in these cases the pa
ttent believes something will happen, expects
6 favorable crisis fixes bis or her mind UPON
the affected part or the sickness generally,
and thus unconsciously sets up thera peutlc
action More closely analyZed it will be
found that the mental process involves IN
exercise of faith and an act Of vohtion. The
patient anticipates cure. believes in its pos
slbilIty, and SO contributes to is ACCOMPLISH
nseHt.
soaCERT AND wTTCECGAFT
Every physician knows that il serious IL
ness it IS Of tie first importance that the pa
tent should be hopeful, and should viii re
covery When the desire of life has from
any cause ceased or great mental depression
exists, a comparatively slight attack Of dis
ease may prove fatal When the desire Of
life Is strong rude attacks on the vitality may
be repulsed The part played by the viii
and the imagination in disease is always in
duential and often the dominant one. The
old tales Of sorceTy and witchcraft are by no
means all fiction. The things related hap
pened In ages when people believed easily in
occult and malignant powers, ard the expia-
nation of great deal IN those days must be
sought here, and not IN the theory of hallu-
cination- Il an ignorant negro firmly be-
6eves that ne is ''yoodooed," ne may, and
often does, fail sick. There is no delusion
about that. The illness is real But it Is
caused by delusion none the less, for it is the
direct result of faith ID powers which do not
exist.
The subject is one Of ieep interest and So
rious importance to medical scienca More
and more the Wise and sktIlful physician
must address himself 10 curing the body with
the help Of the mind. Ee must administer
80 mind diseased, = in fact, frequently, Il he
wishes 70 restore the physical organism 70
health; and the simple the mind 20 be dealt
with the easier viii il ~ found, as q rule, to
employ it therapeutically. IN tie South
Carolina case bogus charm operated gre
cisely SIS IL was expected tbs real one would
do.-New York Tribune