Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-07-20
MIND AS A FACTOR IN DISEASE.
Death from Broken IIeart-The
Woman Who Thought She Swal-
lowed a PIN.


lowed n PIN.
A Journal reporter and one OF the leading
physicians Of Indianapolis were recently talk
Ing about the mind as factor IN disease
when the latter said ut is a powerful factor
No good physician neglects 10 note the
mental condition OF his patient In his
his diagnosis. II he did he would be over.
looking one Of the most important things In
the case.
"Let me tell you one or two Incidents that
have come under my observation TO Illustrate
the effect Of the mind over the body. One Of
these Was very sad, the other exceedingly
ludicrous Some time ago there was lady
and gentleman spending the winter here in
the city. just previous 20 their coming here
they had lost their only childrcn-a grown
son and grown daughter-n a skating
disaster at St. Louis, the ice IN the river
having broken and the couple having been
drowned before assistance could reach them.
Well, Of course, THIS was great blow 10 the
fond parents. They were almost overcome
with grief at the sad event, and the result OF
II was-as 1t is In every case OF the kind
they chung TO each other with a love and
affection they had never known before. These
people came to indianapolis TO spend the
winter after this trouble, aud while here the
husband was taken with typhoid fever aud
In spite OF al that could be done for him he
died. Several days before his death il was
known that he could not recover, and he aud
his wife talked over the future with the same
composure that other persons would talk
over brief separation She hardly shed a
tear, seeming utterly resigned TO what was
coming. AS 4 said, the man died, his funeral
was head, and his wlle sat 10y his coffin with
out the slightest show OF grief. Spectators
were astonlshed Under the circumstances
they looked Tor her to be completely prosirLt-
ed. Alter the funeral she said TO me that
she would soon follow, that 1t was only d
temporary separation Well, sir, that woman
lost her appetite, refused TO eat, grew weak
er and weaker, aud Ia one week from her
husbands funeral hers was held in the same
roomn
"How DO you account for this was there no
atmeut OF any kludg'
None at all. Her whole mind and soul
were centered on the one thing until the
thought absolutely Withdrew all power from
the body TO discharge rs functions and the
result was she dIcd--a real case OF what has
been POLITICALLY described as death from a
broken heart"
"What OF the other case."
at was very different from this, yet Il H.
illustrates the power Of the mind over the
body no less forc,bly. Some time ago very
intellectual aud hly-accomplishe young
lady here in the city, holding IA pm IN her
mouth, swallowed IT, or, AS she thought,
swallowed IT, The thought OF what she had
DONE the very idea Of that pin be Nc In her
stomach, threw her instantly into the most
violent spasms anu commissions. Was sum
moned 10 see her and found her in very
critical condition, cod sweat all over her
body, CONFUSION following CONFUSION, and
altogether in an alarming situation TO her
friends. Here's the funny circumstances ::
The Young lady wore false teeth and I'm one
OF her Commissions threw them out on the
floor, and the pin, which had all the time
been sticking up behind the plate, fell down
with them. Everybody OF course, roared
with laughter, and the young LADY was well
as quickly as she had been taken III.