The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1903-03-21
sIcKRoon SUPER r1T2oNs
u. 1.a-e.a Of cerss6 y a.A
tertaina u Patients sa
rhedr Condition.

The nurse who can control the su
perstitions of her patient has fought
half the battle for, the physician an
charge of the case. Here are some
cases in point:
A woman in Washington who 10
firm believer in spalmistry, was OF
Grated on for sppendicitis. when the
incision had been made the surgeons
discovered. that-it-wax a case. OF perl
tonitis instead of appendicitis. 80
The woman was in a critical conui-
ton and when she recovered from
the influence of the anaesthetic, the
physician in charge Of the case
deemed it best that she should be IN
formed of the true state OF AFFAIRS.
This was discreetly done by nurse
and doctor, and it was suggested that
she send for her mother and her
clergyman. says the New York Sun.
Now, it happened that, the patient
had neither, but she had something
else-an immense amount of grit ana
| an Sunshakablc belief in the lines OF
her hand. With an effort that showed
in her Tightening lips, she turned her
right hand and held it where the doc
tor might see it distinctly. Then she
remarked, in q weak, but determined
vo3ce: sssii~ -tt i'4s' -7s-fr 8; 80
doctor, do you see the life line in
thst hand? 1t says will live until
liam As. Those lines never lie. You
can't kill me with trihe like peri
tonitis. am only 30. Give me some
water and I'll go to sleep" is9ls
She fought her fight and is about
again to-day. ,..5.s......
Just the reverse of this situation
was shown in Philadelphia hospital
where one of the nurses underwent
serious operation from which she
was rallying apparently without diff
| fcuity.
The superintendent of nurses
dropped in to see her just At dual
and congratulated her on her svi,
dent progress. The girl turned CUES
tioning eyes to her chief and said: /.
ayes, it seems all. right, but pray
Heaven that q peacock won't call!
You know what that MEANS" as :
| The superintendent spoke reassur-
ingly, hut when she had left the, ward
the words of the nurse worried her.
| A wealthy woman living next door
| to the hospital owned q magnificent
peacock, which ordinarily was ex
ceedingly quiet, but superstition
existed in the hospital that when
ever the bird cried, death stalked il
one of the wards.
At two in the morning the superin
tendent found herself sitting straight
up in bel and seized with suddcr
Horror. The peacock was uttering {
mournful wall. q Z
Pulling ON her wrapper and slip
pers she hurried to the ward wher'
lay her assistant. 1t was as /. sht
feared. The reaction from the OPP
Grafton had set in, preceded by VIC
lent nervous chill.
The house physician had been sum
moned, but the patient seemed lik'
one in the clutch of 2 supernatura
power. Her temperature went dow
with plunge, her pulse followed, sh'
seemed unable to respond to any o
the emergency remedies. and in les
than an hour was dead, as her chic
said, the victim of her own fear.
/ For one whole year . New Yorl
E man suffered from hallueinatiol
{ which he could not throw on, and a
!. the end of the time he was practical
/ " victim OF, nervous. prostra tion, be
J cause he could not get away fror
t himself
d An astrologer had foretold that h
Z would die when he was s5s At tn
t time of the prophecy the ma
e laughed heartily, but as the year IL
' preached he found shadow. walkin
!, ! ever at his side. He tried to thin
!. that it was due to overwork an
Z worry about his business, and he d
{ termined to go abroad for . rest.
/. Then something stayed the pui
: chase of tickets for the journey, an
S he realized that It was fear-fea
d that the steamship might go down
: He BECAME afraid even to go ION
3 railroad journey and doubled his lii
insurance.
n Finally he took several friends II
4 to his confidence, and seldom trayele
: the streets at night without one Z
them in his company. He dodge
4 trolley cars and trucks like one VIII
thought all methods of traffic wei
4 in league against his personal safet,
s His friends ceased to jest with hi
: on the subject. and seriously aide
= in what to him seemed fight Il
: life.
= When at last old Father Time Ian,
/ ed him safe across his thirtr-sixt
) birthday this perfectly sane -ar
L thoroughly healthy man coilsps,
!. from pure reaction and took the tri
abroad which he had feared for
long months. &fsss
| R0pfpaffa T0>hafn~a~