The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-24
phobia of which Poe was model ex-

phobia Of which Poe was model ex-
ample
With the discovery of new forces with
the perfection Of new Inventions with
/ the advance of knowledge, many people
| become affected with new forms of NOR
bid fear which could not have existed
in former times. There is, for example,
| pie, siderodromophobia. fear of railway
travelling, in which the person travels
by rail only In case Of necessity and al
ways with sickening fear that some
accident may happen. With the advent
of electric cars there has arisen another
morbid dread in which the person Is
fearful Of being run down by these mon
sters which they term modern Jugger-
nautS
There is also morbid state connected
with electric cars which may have some
foundation in fact. Many nervous pso-
pie, especially women. claim that riding
on electric cars has a direct influence
which they refer to the subtle influence
OF an electrical environment Both OF
these, as yet without technical name.
may be called Neutrality-suspicious. Be-
fore the advent of electric cars there was
morbid fear also as yet unnamed
which might be called siderophobIa, a
fear Of iron. This, in the first case was
doubtless due to the common use of iron
grat1ngS and coal covers in city side
walks. which,. becoming smooth also be.
come slippery and thus caused MANY
slraining slips and sometimes fatal falls
to those who unwaTily trod upon them,
Hence arose persistent avoidance OF
all iron articles in the street the person
sonetimes going to some trouble to
avoid stepping upon them With the ad.
vent OF electricity of high power this
fear of iron was exaggerated there be.
ing a new element of danger in treadins
upon it, for by the leakage of electricity
IRON posts. hydrant covers. car rails etc.
may become charged with electricity and
seriously shock if not kill any one cons
ing In contact with them.
The most common Of the modern
phobias is beyond question bacillophohia
fear of germs thousands of people be-
ing possessed of this fear of the little
things about which they know so little
and have heard so much that is dreadful
and fear inspiring and they take extra
ordinary precautions to escape infection
and avoid contagion dreading to touch
anything publicly used even the HAND
rail of car and sometimes going so
far as to refuse to shake hands even
has been brought to especial prominence
by the crusade against kissing.
Cynophobia, a fear of dogs. is often
| confused with hydrophobia, fear Of
water due to incubation with the virus
OF mad dog. There are physicians who
between the bite of a dog and hydro
phobia. claiming that it is not due to a
specific virus. but is form OF tetanuS
resulting from nerve crushing and in
lection by the tetanic germ Be that as
it may fear of dogs still afflcts many
thousands whether they Ghe dogs, OF
may be called ailourophobia and this Is
as common as a fear Of dogs with far
more reason, for cat is by nature
Monin, French authority, records
fear of razors among the phobias, not the
fear of having the throat cut so much as
ease. Maret records a rare case, too,
Of man who feared gold. or rather
the germs that might contaninate it, and
this fear in another form has led people
to wash and iron bank bills.
Everyone has heard of kleptomanla,
and perhaps some are, afflicted with
kleptophcbia, a fear that he may be
tempted to steal. Some people are ar-
hicted with pyrophobia, and dare not
touch match or hold a lighted candle
Then there is Stasophobia. g. fear Of
standing up, which often aff1icts bedrid-
den patients who maintain that they are
i'll long after they have recovered Nor
bid fears unfortunately often attack tbs
physician who from his knowledge OF
them should be most exempt There are,
for example, physicians so undecided in
their action that they dare not write
prescription lest they should MAXI an
error, or the druggist should read the
prescription wrongly;
The treatment of these morbid fears.
aside from moral influence, consists in
the use of br0mides to quiet theoyerex-
to tone up the heart and nervous system;
the use of phosphorus, kola. arsenic, wa
ter cure or static electricity to excite
bodily vigor. Nutrition is to be stimu-
lated, and the bowels must be kept freely
open. Morphine, alcohol, choral ard
other stimulants and narcotics should be-
Stunned above all things.
The moral treatment varies with tho
/ form of fear; sometimes 1t is necessary
! to recommend isolation and repose in tho
quietness of some sanatorium sometimes
violent diversion is needed, necessltating
active exercise or travel AS a general
rule 1t is always necessary to distract
the patient from himself but never
make him Willingly fight against mis-
fears, because that causes him to dwell
upon and magnify them.
Leon Noel.