Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-02-11
CONE QUEER CASES.
The Secret Of Curing Bysteria in Au
It's Numerous Forms.

A short time ago, in the out-patient de-
partment Of large hospital, says WIZ w.
in Leisure Hours, twoquieuy dressed iaules lS'
stood anxiously awaiting their turn 70 enter
the doctors room with poor "Olisn
vvrauned In blankets. whom they nad
bronght in an invalid chair and an amou-
lance with the greatest difficulty from nome;
When the doctor saw them he ascertalned
that the poor creature had suffered lor
years from diseased spine, and for the
last two years had been entirely supported
and nursed by the two ladies, who not oe-
ing rich themselves, had at last found Tue
burden more than they could bear, ana nso
as q last resource brought her 70 the nos
pital in the hope that T. would provide ner
bed for the remainder Of her hfe
The patient was q respectable-loonng
person about forty five, with placid wen
fed appearance, but emitting the most ag-
onizing cries whenever an attempt was
made TO move her. 80
The ladies were thereupon asked 70 WIN
draw and wait, and the back was careluIly
examined, and, in spite Of intense apparent
pain, the conclusion arrived at was tnS'
there was no disease but hysteria.
Strong measures were Of course needed
to bring the patient to this point OF view
anu III Nub uEhb HldID bAC bPAAAO "NfS
ly galvanized, and she was then induced to
walk. Further details would be wearisome'
In two hours time, so effectual were the
means used, that the two ladies stared at the
miraculous appearance Of the one on whom
they had spent so much care, walking all
about the waiting-room with ease, and cured
Of her spinal complaint once and for all In
this case, again, it was carefully explained
that the woman was not deceiving them,
but that it was her nerves, not her spine,
which were disordered.
As a rule it is better that hysterical
patients should not be at home, es peclally
IL the disease develops there, but should
at once be sent away.
What they do want, wherever they are,
In order to be cured, is the power OF very
strong will and the patience Of very kind
heart.
Now, there was no deception in this case,
and yet such might easily be suspected.
One Of the most remarkable testimonies
as TO the power Of the bysterical person TO
simulate real disease is the fact that at o
leading London hospital over fifty cases OF
one fatal disease have been sent in by medi-
cal men and certified, and yet in every one
of the fifty the disease was hysterta, and
hysteria only.
The marvellous cures of hysterical loss OF
voice are very interesting. A patient comes,
at times a waiter in hotel, VINO has lost his
voice, and place in consequence; at others
governess, or perhaps the mother Of fam
lily, or some delicate young lady. None OF
them can speak above very soft whisper;
and yet, without knowing it, they will cough
orclear their throat quite audibly. The his
toryis nearly always the same. The disease
did not begin with hysteria. The patient had
asevere cold at first, and did lose her voice.
This has, however, long since been cured,
but the voiceless state persists, and would
do so till the end OF time. A careful exam
inatIon reveals that every thing Is normal.
And then, by the skillful use OF judicious
means, the voiceless condition, that has per-
sisted for sometimes years, gradually is
cured. These patients occasionally act
ually have states to write on, and can not
speak at all.
And yet after treatment in five minutes
they say "Ohl" with wonderful vigor. In
five minutes more they can count, and in
half an hour can shout out every letter Of
the alphabet so as to be heard fifty yards of.
One extremely comlcal case, wnlcn we
may just wind up with, was that Of very
attractive young lady, "poor, but respect
able" who entered the room OF q hospital
surgeon short time ago a living skeleton,
pursued by her anxious and care-worn
mother, holding In one hand pot of Lie
big and in the other spoon. Sue apollo
gized and explained her extraordinary atti-
tude by saying that her daughter had COM
pletely lost her power of swallowing for
weeks, and had solely been kept alive by a
mysterious process she called ''suction -
that she had tried all that day to induce her
TO take q little Liebig, that being q light,
nourishing diet, but in vain. The young
lady said such was the case, that she was
truly sorry TO grieve so excellen a mother,
and besides ruin her own health, but she
felt she was going faat, for she could swRl-
low nothing
A glass OF water on the table was tried
after much persuasion, but produced such
spasms that not drop was swallowed.
The mother was then requested to wait,
and the daughter was taken 10 the wards
upstairs and brief course Of treatment
entered upon, the true nature Of the disease
being at once discovered. II was so salts
factory that after few minutes the patient
thought that she felt better, and managed
with difficulty TO swallow little water
This was not enough, however so 1t was
continued, with the eminently happy and
satisfactory result that in half an hour the
young lady was sitting at table with a
plateful OF boiled mutton, turnips and po-
tatoes before her; aud her mother was
called up, and in her presence the daughter,
with a radiant countenance, completely tin-
ished the meal.
One curious thing "a that all the distor-
tons and contractions Of hysteria disappear
under chloroform, One very obstinate case
Of a contracted and bent arm defied all ef-
forts TO strengthen it; but when at last
chloroform was given II was at once per.
fectly straight. AS the patient came round
il contracted again, and in few hours was
as rigid as ever. She was therefore put 10
sleep the second time, the arm Strengthened,
and then secured In that position with
plaster Of paris. The result was perfect
cure.
The secret Of curing all hysteria is by
feeling true sympathy from the conviction
of the reality OF the disease, but showing
none. In hts. for instance, the friends
should not struggle with the sufferer, or
express either alarm or interest; indeed,
the fewer spectators the better, as the pa
uent Is nearly always partly conscious, and
any interest always increases the violence
Of her performances. All alcohol should
invariably be avoided, as IL only increases
the mRlady.