The new South-news., 1905-07-15
AbuUI THE tLAR OF CATS
PHYSICIAN FINDS 1T USEsptAiN.
Ed IN MANY PERSONS.
Su>cr Results OF inquiry BY Or. S.
"e'r Ml'cheii--Sis is'1t cs Cats leads
To loekls~, 7ysseros. Temporary
Ci1@1ess ard Dreams

go - cS'Ts-
Al a recent gathering OF physicians
4 Washington Dr. 5. Wen Mitchell
delivered an address on ~Ths Fear
oi Cats The address was not made
public AT the time. but was given out
AZ Philadelphia DR.. Mitchell said ia
part.
Three years ago ! was consulted
"a the case OF an historical y0nns
woman Ia whOm the fear Of cats lad
become an obsession. She declared
s-e could always detect the presence
OF an unseen and unhearl cal. saw
ner three times. and on each occa-
sion she said there vas a car in the
room- II was true Of her erst visit.
a-tloUsh she could not have seen
H. X was untrue OF her tNo later
visits. bG. each time she exhibited
the same fear the usual mild hysseri-
cal manifestations.
"A second case was. felt sure. an
exhibition OF real capacity 70 know
when the unseen and unheard cat
vas present. Ii came to my knowl-
edge later.
In order TO collect material FOR
study ! asked through American
Medicine answers 10 me following:
-A.--t'ave you any antlpathy to
cats? Are you subject to unusual
feelings or symptoms in the presence
Of cat? What are these Does
the presence OF tiger in nena-
gerie anect you as do cats? Can you
account fcr your cat fear by anything
obvious, as. sor example, any incident
OF childhCodg At what age did you
FIRST discover your PECULIARLY as l.
eats?
when II is not in sight or know TO
be near? II yes. give the evidence.
"B.-Are you surely aware OF a ca,
your own and that of others. as to
the fact What feelings or symptoms
make you sure Of the cats presence2
is it cat odor? How long have you
aad this peculiarly?
My research brought to me indis.
putable evidence concerning lars>
number OF people In whom the pres
ence of cat gives rise TO a variety
OF symptoms. In persons suffering
from asthma II is slower arl oumu-
iative aud may not be felt at all for
twenty or more minutes.
Certain persons on seeing a cat
have oraer symptoms. with or with
ont oppression Of breathing. There
may be only fear, terror. disgust
There may be added chilly sensa-
tons, horripilaiion. weakness. locked
jaw. or, as in one case. fixed open
jaw, rigidity Of arms. pallor nausea.
rarely vomiting, pronounced hysteri-
cal commissions. and even temporary
blindness. These pass away with the
removal Of the cat, but in a few ex-
amples leave the sufferer nervously
disturbed for the day. Two report
them mseives as apt 10 have dreams. or
what one of them calls cat mares.
Five persons. three being women,
are alarmed in the presence of great
er cats, Gagged tigers or lions A sol
der of distinction, much given when
younger to tiger hunting, is undis-
tur5ed by these great felines, but ter
riifed By a tame cat.
"At least fourth OF my cases OF
cat terror in grave forms speak OF
it as family peculiarity. Five In a
family of seven had it. In another
case the maternal grandfather. two
great-aunts, an uncle. and sister
were all thus troubled. Sex appears
| to have no marked influence. but ex-
tfeme symptoms are more frequent
In women.
After careful study | reached the
| conclusion that as concerns thirty
one persons | had evidence enough to
make me sure they could tell when
cat was near, although it was
neither seen nor heard.
"On study of those who, at sight
of cats have fear. horror. and In
varying degrees emotional disturb
ances and distinct physical symp-
toms, and those whom unseen cats
affect we observe that the same
symptomatic expressions attend both