The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-11-09
IMAGINARY DISEASE.
ILLS INTENSIFIED AND MORBID FAM
CiES HARD TO CURE.
sufIerings of the Confirmed Hypochon-
driac-Cancer and Heart Disease In tho
Mind.--A Case In New York Hospital.
Cured In Fifteen Minutes.

The writer called on number OF prom
inent physicians and asked them If, among
their patients, they had many who imag
ined they had diseases which they did not
have. Some very interesting Information
was obtained The doctors said IL was
found to be very common trouble, and
thatl the chief diseases these people i'm
sgine they have are cancer, heart disease
and Brights disease. In the language of
the profession, the complaint is known as
bypochondriasis.
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
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
special study of the disease, said that it
was worthy of note that In all these cases
the patient reasons correctly--that is, hel
draws Just 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 rhypochondriac
who supposes himself to be dead reasons
with the same correctness when he
stretches his body and limbs on the bed
or 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:
at was on July that q man of small
stature, who was found afterwards to be
a shoemaker by trade, who was apparent
1y 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 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 1t. His Ian
guage was copious, but his agitation SO
. great that he could hardly utter 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 1t 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
in, i'm, hs,
shoulder and bade him no longer be un-
easy, for would cut out the worm. His
eyes sparkled and in an instant he re-
piled, .Will you? 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 a 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 uneasiness
instruments he fixed himself in the chair
and requested my assistants, the apoth-
ecary and the orderly man, to hold hls
hands lest he should start while under
pain of the cutting instrument.
with lancet the operation was begun.
l pricked his lip with it, which made him
finch 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 priSlss of the instrument with
steadiness and fortitude. After pinching
his lip with one hand and wounding il
with the other, cut off 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 coulC
be seen. The bystanders cried out: "Ther
it isl there it isl lie raised eyes to see
but was cautioned to be still for one min
ute longer, at which he again shut hi
eyes. | then gave him a severe pinch
drew the edge of the lancet across tn
lacerated lip and exclaiming, I've go
him, opened my hand and exposed tn
"The man rose from his seat and gaze
at the worm with astonishment beyon
utterance At length he spoke and II
quested me to preserve 1t, for, he observe
with tranquility, his friends had said
was crazy, but this would be an evidenc
to the contrary.
"The result of this deceptive operatio
was perfect cure, and this remarkabl
change was effected in less than fiftee
minutes after the patient entered IL
hospital" !"
The best doctors say that the causes
the disease lie In conditions usually ol
scure, which lower the tone Of the gel
eral health or depress the vitality of Il
brain, either by physical wear or ment
worry. Disappointment, bad habit
want of proper mental occupation, ofte
cause the trouble. The treatment CO.
sists in measures to improve the gener
health. especially full diet. careful
selected; dro-therapeuttcs. massag
gymnastics, horseback riding, walkin
rowing, abundant and agreeable exerci
In the open air, and the management
the patients surroundings SO as to Light
the mind and relieve from worry, perha
by travel or sea voyage.
Argument is commonly worse than us
less, but there should be a decided In
= preston given that the generally morb
state is due to i'll health The risk
suicide Is so small that restriction of Ii
erty directed to it's prevention does mo
, harm than good William Henry Hawl
y In Boston Globe.