, 1888-11-16
IMAGINARY DISEASE.
ILLS INTENSIFIED AND MORBID FAN
CIES HARD TO CURE.

Sunerings of the Confirmed HypOchon
md Heart Disease in thu
Mind-A Case in n New York Hospital
Cured in Fifteen Minutes.
The writer called on n number of prom
incnt physicians and asked them if, among
-theif-PatieHts r- they had many wheimaE-
ined they had diseases which they did not
have Some very interesting information
was obtained. The doctors said it was
found to be a very common trouble. and
that the chief diseases these people i'm
agine they have are cancer. heart disease
and BrigIt's disease. In the language of
the profession, the complaint is known us
l~ypochondriasis.
1t was found that the disease is often
epidemic. At the time of Gen Grants
sickues and death from cancer of the
throat, and during the illness of the late
Kaiser 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 a
special study of the disease. said that it
was worthy of note that in all these cases
the patient reasons correctly-that is. lie
draws just differences from the error
nus VIC IluIc Vi DOuTDOu, WHICH uO
supposed himself to be a plant, relsoned
justly when he insisted upon being
watered with the rest of the plants every
day, In like manner, the h~ypochondriac
who supposes himself to be dead reasons
with the same correctness when he
stretches his body and limbs on the bed
or n board and assumes the stiffness and
silence of a dead man.
TIT following is from the records of
l,a ~ thA NnYr V@rb Il-xsA1Nu -
surgeons:
at was on July 6 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, lacerating 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 a 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. l met them at the door and in
quired into the case. The man was eager
to tell his WI story, but with difficulty
collected words to convey it. His Ian
guage was copious, but his agitation so
BIeuG llldJ u0 COulu nHTuly utter q sem
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
W 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 a 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 a
smiling countenance patted him on the
shoulder and babe him no longer be un-
easy, for would cut out the worm. His
eyes s%parkled, 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.
| 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 !
Lad 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 l got, and on re.
turning found my patients u%neasiness
increased. But upon seeing me take thu
instruments he fixed himself in the chat
and requested my assistants, the apoth
nRnrNr md Tho ~-l@-l A. ILL IL
hands lest he should start while under
pain of the cutting instrument.
with n lancet the operation was begun.
pricked his lip with it, which made hin
finch a little. He accordingly leaned
back his head firmly against the person
who stood behind him, and shut his eyes
tightly, and thus fixed he bore the re
Peated pricks of the instrument with
steadiress and fortitude. After pinchinr
his lip with one hand and ~wounding it
with the other, | cut off a portion of the
upper lip which he had torn with his
nails and which was p%endulous. l now
assured him that the operation was nearly
completed, for the head of the worm could
be seen. The bystanders cried out: There
it isl there it isl He raised eyes to see,
but was cautioned to be still for one min
ute longer, at which he again shut his
eyes. | then gave him a severe pinch,
NS" NY SNSO "a tho lGLSSb dCIOSS luo
lacerated lip, and exclaiming, I've got
him. opened my hand and exposed the
great worm.
The nan rose from his seat and gazed
Mt the worm with establishment beyond
utterance. At length he spoke and re.
quested me to preserve it, for, he observed
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 q perfect cure, and this remarkable
change was effected in less than fifteen
minutes after the patient entered the
hospital"
The best doctors say that the causes Of
the disease lie in conditions usually OBJ.
scure, which lower the tone of the gen.
cral health or depress the vitality of the
brain, either by physical wear or mental
worry. Disappointment, bad habits,