Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-04
/ IMAGINATION CURE.
KEY TO THE MYSTERY OF A CLASS
OF OBSCURE PHENOMENA.

A Story OF Voodooism In South Carolina
A Bogus Charm-Dr Carpenter on "Ex-
pectant Attention" and It's Efects-Sor-
Gerry and wi.chcraft.
A South Carolina story appeared the other
day. which, rightly considered, throws much
light upon the interesting subject Of negro
superstitions, aud, in fact, popular supersti-
tions generally. A negro woman had been
i'll for some time and physicians were in
vain,n so at last she consulted a voodoo doc
tor, who prescribed application to local
sorcerer of repute, The soreerer oracularly
declared that a search of the sick woman's
premises would reveal the presence of
charm by which she had been "voodooed,"
and gave description of what would be
found Now the husband Of the sick woman
told doctor all about the alleged charm,
and the doctor for Joke fabricated a charm
to answer the description, and hid it where
it would be found.
So far 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 to mend, and
rapidly regained her normal state of health.
This is referred to as 1.-THE strangest part of
the story" but really the strangest part of
the story is the circumstance that at this day
any one should think the matter at all mys-
terious, or should fail to apprehend the
obvious and perfectly simple explanation
of it.
A MOST POTENT ENERGY.
What p,,ral tliS Nd tha,.a is No
| inherent improbability in the statement that
| she is cured-was what cures thousands of
| people who have been made sick by it in the
| first place. 1t was, in word, imagination,
which is, however psychical its nature, among
the most potent of physical agencies. The
mass of authentic evidence going to show
that the imagination can and commonly does
Influence the body in the most direct and
| powerful manner long since put beyond con,
troyersy the fact that body is under the con
| troll OF mind to an extent which might seen
scarcely credible to such as have not studied
the subject
DR.. w B. Carpenter, in his admirable
treatise on mental physiology, prefers to de
nominate the influence which effects organic
changes in cases of disease ''expectant at
tention." His theory is-and it is now sen
orally accepted-that in these cases the pa
tient believes something will happen, expect
a favorable crisis, fixes his or her mind upol
the affected part or the sickness generally
and thus unconsciously sets up therapeuti
action. More closely analyzed it will b
found that the mental process involves a
exercise of faith and an act of volition. Tn
patient anticipates cure, believes in its pos
sibility, and 50 contributes TO its accomplish
, ment.
sORCERY AND wITCHCRAFT
Every physician knows that in serious il
, ness it Is OF the first Importance that the p-
tent should be hopeful, and should will r,
covery. When the desire of life has froI
any cause ceased or great mental depresSio
exists, comparatively slight attack of di
ease may prove fatal. When the desire {
life is strong rude attacks on the vitality ma
be repulsed. The part played by the WI
and the imagination in disease is always il
tiuential and often tue dominant one tt
old tales of sorcery and witchcrAft are by I
means ali fiction. The things related ha
pened in ages when people balisved easily
occult and malignant powers, and the sxpl
nation of q great deal in those days must
sought here, and not in the theory of hall
cination If an ignorant negro firmly b
Iisves that he is ''voodooed,n - he may, al
often does, fall sick. There is no delusit
about that The illness is real But it
caused by delusion none the less, for it is &
direct result of faith in powers which do II
exist.
The subject is one of deep interest and {
/. rious Importance to medical science. Mo
and more the wise and skillful physici'
- must address himself to curing the body wi
the help of the mind. Es must 'administ
to mind diseased" in fact, frequently, if
wishes to restore the physical organism
health; and the simpler the mind to be de'
with the easier will it be found, as a rule,
employ it therapeutically. In. the Sou
Carolina case bogus charm operated p
cisely as it was expected the real one wou
do.-New York Tribune