The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-09-20

Problem That is Causing an Epidemic
Of Debate Among Physicians.

Problem That ls Causing an EPloenic
Of Debate Among Physicians.
Englishmen are proverbial for their
sober judgment Of things, and the
London Lancet is probably the ables.
and most conservative medical jour
uai in England. 1t will strike most
people, therefore, as somewhat aston
ishing that several London newspa'
pers, including The Lancet, have been
engaged for some time past in grave
ly discuss sing the question whether the
I'VE OF the sexes is a disease.
The discussion has taken a wide
range including history Of the theory. /
and The Lancet, In a learned article z
on the subject, contends that 1t has
been held from the remotest antiquity
that love is disease and that this be- ,
lief finds expression in all the Greek
and Roman classics. A contributor to
the same journal marshsls In It's cup
port all the medical authorities from
Galen to Horatius, and even the paint
ers Of the seventeenth century, who
delighted in portraying love sickness
as an anaeuic young woman.
The reason for these disputants has
not yet reached US, but it is cas- 70
surmise what some OF It would be.
There can be no question that the
passion of love bears a strong resem'
blance to the abnormal condition
known as hypnosis. This is to say, il
Is founded in delusion.
The salient features of hypnosis are
a temporary suspension of ones nat.
ural taste and judgment, which makes
him a phenomenon and a laughing
stock to other people, and which Is
succeeded by a feeling of shame, and
embarrassment; and this h word for
: word descriptive Of the love Of the
sexes. Love covers up all defects, in'
? cluding those which the subject, In q
t sane state of mind, detests; 1t creates
a galaxy OF virtues in its object which
never had any existence; 1t is highly
e amusing to sane people who observe
It; 1t is certain to pass away, though
, sooner in some cases than others, ana
? when It has passed away II leaves the
subject wholly unable TO account for
the delusion and greatly distressed at
the indiscretlons to which it has led.
The aptness Of love to mislead a per
son in the selection of mate is an
? old theme. That delicious satirist
Josh Pillings. wrote; 1T has been
said that love is blind but there is q
: young man of my acquaintance who
n can sea more in his girl than can
r. Accordingly, writers who are not hum
d orous tell us that the majority of mar
+ ried people while thinking well of mat
rimony, feel that as for them they
made unwise selections OK mates and
In fact selected those who were th'
exact opposites Of what they needed
to make home happy.
. On the other hand. there are cogen
reasons for repudiating the theor.
IN that love is a disease. II certainl.
oi does not stand connected with othe
re diseases. No other disease leads 4
&C It, flows from it,or is associated Wit
= t. People who are paragons OF ohy'
he icai and mental soundness yield to It
Influence The idea CT the seventeenth
century painters that lovers are ana'
mic can only be taken as Joke.
N. It is obvious that love Is an integrs
0S feature Of human nature designed
promote mating and prevent a hun
drum and selfish mode OF existence.
4 In any race or community the lov
Of the sexes is the exact measure
civilization, because without II ther
could not be virtuous home. II
should disappear there would dlsa
pear with It the drama, the novel, y
poem, and almost the entire roman
and spiritual elements Of life.
II Whether love is a disease or not
Is { blessing. and It Is safe to say ~
II has come to stay.-Chicago Chroi
Gle.