The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-11-16
P%HOBOPHOBIA is
LATEST DISEASE.
M0rbid Fear of Its Victims So
Undermines Their Nervous
System That Physicians
Find Great Difficulty In
Affording Relief.
Are you suffering from phobophobia?

old as man, ara IT'S iorH;s IL "s
A few days ago there came from k.aston'
Pa. a little dispatch, announcing the SUD
den death under peculiar circumstances oil
one of the old residents OF that CITY.
1t was said that the man had such an
aversion To any foreign substance floating
in his food that when a fy fell into a cup
Of coffee which he was drinking he was
completely Frustrated. and expired within
q few minutes.
The dispatch added that his death was due
to heart failure
To most readers that statement is con-
sideied satisfactory.
1t is apparently u good explanation OF inc
phenomenon.
As a matter OF fact. the man was. If 'he
statements in the dispatch are to be fei4ed
upon. a victim OF phobophohia.
1t is quite likely that the victim had
never given kis malay a name.
Nevertheless, his was n remarkable case
of the disease, which Is present in one
type or another In nearly every human be-
ing. but seldom in SO acute a form as IN
this instance.
Take down your dictionary and look up
the word.
There you wi. find it described as "a
morbid dread of being afraid
Whether or not there is such a disease
as hydrophobia. there is no doubt that
there is a widely spread dread of that Gls-
ease.
The phenomenon CT hypochondria is too
well established to have it's existence dis
pTted. and this, too. Is but another form OF
the intense strain the mind may be subject
to by imaginary fears.
And it should be membered that pho
/ Ar,tnh q, anA of Che huuboorc ~ tha
representative or highly strung :ntellects.
and feed principally upon a disorders1 i'm
agination.
Phobophobia may be said to be really an
unconquerable sense of fear.
WILL NOT USE ELEVATORS.
There are numerous instances of persons
of evident education and intelligence who
will not so into an elevator car.
1t is useless to argue with them that the
accidents are something less than one in
a million trips.
The answer is that In the law of chance
| there is no certainty when that accident
Is to occur.
1t may be in the first trip. in the thous-
andth, or it may be until the millionth.
There Is present the fear which to most
people is considered unreasonable.
The dread of snakes is perhaps the most
widespread in the whole field of research.
The fact that there are comparatively few
poisonous varieties of snakes in North
America, and no constructors of sufficient
size to awaken fear, will be admitted by
the persons whose dread of the reptile is
quite beyond their control.
In some cases this fear Is so great that
even the picture of a snake will SCI up 4
disturbance in the disordered intellect that
will render the nervous system a wreck for
hours.
The number Of persons who viii; not en-
ter the reptile house Of the Geological Gar
dens one might say amounted to at least
one-fifth of those who visit the gardens;
yet it Is well understood that there is no
lures.
The mere sight OF them is enough in
some instances to throw the beholGer into
paroxysms of terror.
THEY DREAD INSECTS.
Next to snakes, spiders and the insect
world. generally, exert the greatest in:lu-
ence in keeping alive the disease.
Few spiders are really venomous to man:
indeed it has been claimed that none of
them are capable of giving a fatal bite
to a full grown person in good health.
This. too. has been claimed for some Of
the recognized venomous snakes, and in
spite of the fact that there are no record
cases of death directly traceable to the
bites of %rattlers and of spiders.
A lady of education and refinement, but
VINO showed a preQlSpoSItOn TO pSychOmou-
rosis. had always expressed a fear. which
was believed to be only a traditional dislike
of spiders.
Her brother thought one day to cure her
Of what he considered was largely an af-
fectation, SO he procured several spiders az
large size. and placing them in a small
box. such as jewellers use. brought the box
to his sister as a present.
See what I have brought you" he said
with a smile. opening the box and passing
it over to the young woman. who believed
she was about to receive a present of a little
trifle of jewelry.
She took the opened box, and, moving
aside the cotton. disclosed to view the
spiders, all of them now dead because Of
their confinement.
No sooner did the Young woman see the
contents OF the box, which she. as much as
any one else. appreciated were harmless,
than she cast it aside. uttered a scream and
in a paroxysm of fear fell senseless to the
floor.
The physician had to be sent for, and the
young woman spent nearly a week in bed,
recovering her shattered nervous system,
says the Philadelphia Inquirer.
She knew the spiders were dead and could
not harm her, as she confessed,
but the fear was uncomfortable. 1t is
needless to add that In her case her family
admitted phobophobia was a disease and
not an affectation.
TROLLEYS CAUSE TERROR.
Instances of an unnatural fear OF cross
ing bridges which are considered entire
ly safe, can be given.
Even the fear Of riding In cars on the sur
face roads as well as on steam roads is. in
many cases. real or present In such a man.
ner, that the fear cannot be overcome by
evidence or reason.
Riding in trolley cars causes intense
nausea in some persons. who are themselves
the first to admit that there should be no
good reason for the phenomenon.
Phobophobia may be said to be 4 cof1-
scious senseless fear. for in most cases Of
persons so afflicted the victims can reason
on the phenomena. but are entirely unable
to control their feelings.
From its nature the disease is a very
difficult one to treat.
Beyond some drops given to quiet the
nerves at times when the disorder is pres
ent in a violent form. little can be done for
the relief Of the patient.
1t Is possible, however. for the disease to
be banished in some cases by calling to the
aid the principle Of deferred suggestion as
practjced by hypnotists.
The patient is hypnotized. and while in
the condition of hypnosis is directed by
the operator to forever Danish the thoughts
which make the disease a real one.
n hypnotic sleep is then broken AID 1t
Is likely that the patient is cured.
The phobophobiac has a moment OF real
agony at the very mention of the name Of
the object which causes him those pangs
of terror
he knows that the sight OF the object Is
always accompanied by uncomfortable fear,
hence it is that not a little of his suffering
is caused by dread that he will be made
l q fraf6 n-J a. e. rtG tha rfnf