Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-01-02
IMAGINARY DISEASE
ais Intensified and Srorbir FancIoI
Hard to Cure

NLO ulSCdSc5
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 imagine
they have are cancer, heart disease and
Bright's disease. In the language of
the profession, tine complaint Is known
IS hyTochonIrissls.
Ii was found that the disease was
often epidemic. At the time OF Gen.
Grants sickness and death from can
Ger OF the throat, and during the i'll
ness Of the late Kaiser Friedrich, hund-
rt is Of people with nothing serious at
all the matter with them called upon
Or. SnIaiy, who attended General
Grant, and told him they had cancer
II the throat coming on and wished TO
e treated for It.
One celebrated physician, who made
a special study OF the disease, said that
q was worthy OF note that in all these
cases the patient reasons Correctly
that IS, lie draws Just inferences from
the error. Thus the Prince of Bour-
bon, when he supposed himself to be
plant, reasoned justly when he in
sisted upon being watered with the
rest Of ;he plants every day. In like
manner, the hypOchondriac who sup
poses himself 10 lie dead reasons with
the same correctness when he stretches
hls BODY and limbs on the bed or
board and assumes the stiffness and ST
lrnce of a dead man
The following is from the records o.
enc OF the New York hospitals
Louise surgeons:
1T was on July 6 that a man oi
small stature, who was found after.
War1s to lie "A shoemaker by trade, whC
Wa, apparently about 40 years of age
t.UEptd from his home and was run
.uE at large in the streets or the city
iacyratiug his hesh and beating his
Lead against the sides OF houses i
number of citizens managed to cap
tsIc him, and they brought him to the
hospital, followed by a big crowd.
villa Is arms tied behind him, and in
The cIg.test agony, his face bruised and
swollen, his lips torn to pieces and
20 canning with blood, he was ushered
into lLe hospital by those who had him
in charge l met them at the door snd
inquired INTO the case. The man was
eager 10 tell his own story, but with
difficulty collected words TO convey IT.
His language was cOpious, but his agi-
tatiOn So great that he could hardly
utter sentence, being interrupted by
constant eff urts 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 tie information
where Ills distress was, and upon which
his mind was deluded- In his upper
lip he said there was u worm gnaw-
q a. Nvaaw -
body, and unless be could tear Il out
the worm would soon be beyond his
reach AMI inevitably destroy him. This
was the cause of his misery. He was
assured of the possibility OF relief, and
with "A smiling cOuutenance | patted
him on the shoulder and bade him no
longer be uneasy, for 1 would cut out
the worm. His eyes sparkled. and in
an instant he replied, VIII you?
DO it then. Do IL, quick, for Gods
sake.'
"He was urged not to despair, for
was now ready TO remove the insect
preying upon his flesh. Accordingly,
We went TO the cells of the maniacs.
When being seated he 1xed himself for
the operation. l pAraded six lancets
on the table before him. BY making
n display OF this and other prepara-
tions and sending for assistance he
became composed. waiting with pa
tience 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 in
tested the poplar trees 1T that time
and had fallen from the trees by the
door. One end of the insect had been
trodden upon, and il was nearly dead.
This l got, and ON returning found my
patients uueasinesS increased. But
upon seeing me take the Instruments
he fixed himself in the chair and re-
suested my assistants, the apothecary
and the orderly man, 10 hold his hands
lest he should start while under pain of
the cutting instrument
with q lancet the operation was
beg IN. l pricked his lip with 1t,
which made him finch little. lie
accordingly leaned back his head firmly
against the person who stood behind
him, and shut his eyes tightly, and
thus liked he bore the repeated pricks
of the instrument with steadiness and
fortitude. After pinchlng his lip with
one hand and wounding it with the
other, cut of 4 portion of the upper
lip which he had torn with his nails
and which was pendulous. 1 now as.
sured HIM that the operation wa;
nearly completed, for the head OF the
worm could be seen. The bystander:
cried out: There II Is! there /. Isl He
raised his eyes to see, but was cautioned
To be still for one minute longer, a
which he again shut his eyes. l theI
gave him a severe pinch, drew the edg,
of the lancet across the lacerated lip
and eIclaiming. I've got him. opened
my hand and exposed the great worm
The man rose from his seat an(
gazed at the worm with astonishmen
beyond utterance. At length he spok,
and requested me to preserve it, for
he observed with tranquility, hi
friends had said lie was crazy, ba
this would be an evidence TO the con
trary.
The result of this deceptive opera
ton was perfect cure, and this re.
markable change was effected In les
than fifteen minutes after the patien
entered the hospital"
The best doctors say that the cause
OF the disease lie in conditions usuall
obscure, which lower the tone OF th
general health or depress the vitalit,
Of the brain, either by physical wea
or mental worry. Disappointment, ba,
habits, want of proper mental occupa
tion, often cause the trouble. Tn
treatment consists in measures to i'm
prove the general health, especially /;
full diet, carefully selected; hydro
therapeutics, massage, gymnastic.
horseback riding, walking, rowing
abundant and agreeable * ic.se In tn
open air, and the management OF tn
patients surroundings so as to lighter
the mind and relieve from worry, per
haps by travel or sea voyage.
Argument IS commonly worse thai
useless, but there should be a decide,
impression given that the general.
morbid state IS due to i'll health. tn
risk OF suicide Is so small that restric