Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-02-04
By II. ADDINCTON BRUCE


EVERYBODY knows that before
| disease can be permanently
n cured Its cause must be dis.
covered and rooted out. And
everybody, or at all events every doc
! tor. knows that this Is no easy mat
ter. 1t is especially difficult. says a
recent observer, In the cure Of nerv-
Gus and mental maladies. which are
often the result Of some comparatively
trivial occurrence long forgotten by
the patient. but persisting as Sub.
conscious" memory and bringing about
most disastrous results.
| For example, a lady living in Bos-
/ ton. a prominent society leader. grad
ually developed a strong disinclination
| to 60 outdoors. She could not ex-
plain why this was. but as time passed
the desire to stay at home grew upon
her until Mt last she became almost a
reclusc. Whenever she did 90 out she
insisted upon being accompanied by q
! friend or an attendant.
Fearing that she was losing her
mind. her relatives took her to a spe-
| cialist, who at once recognized that
she was suffering from the effects Of
some forgotten mental shock. To as
certain its exact nature he made use
Of distinctly modern method known
| as "hypnoidization," which is thus de-
scribed by its inventor, DR.. Boris
Sidis:
1.-The patient is asked to close bis
eyes and keep as quiet as possible
without. however, making any special
effort to put himself in such a state.
He Is then asked to attend to some
, stimulus, such as reading or singing
or to the monotonous beats of a metro
| nome. When the reading is over the
patient. with his eyes shut, is asked
to repeat 1t and tell what comes into
his mind during the reading or during
the repetition or Immediately after It.
Childish as this process sounds, 1t Is
remarkably successful in bringing to
the surface Of consciousness memories
that have long been consciously forgot
ten, but knowledge Of which may be
essential to the successful treatment
Of mental disturbances like that from
which the lady in question suffered.
In her case the method Of hypnoidiza
ton enabled the specialist to trace the
trouble directly back to the shock she
had experienced some years before at
the death Of favorite brother. She
was dressing to 60 out when the tele-
gram arrived announcing his death.
and as she read it she happened to
catch a glimpse of her face In the mir
ror and noticed that she looked white
and haggard. Why she thought, I
am going to die myself. must not
leave the house.
"This idea, of course, was soon for
gotten. But all unconsciously 1t served
as a basis for the gradual growth Of a
delusion that her life would not be safe
II she went outdoors Once the start
ing point Of this delusion had been
discovered by her physician it was not
long before he was able to effect
cure"
Deep Breathing.
A dozen years ago. says DR.. Sheldon
Leavitt, in his recently published
''Paths to the Heights" l took three
| months course Of exercises in deep
breathing. accompanied by training in
the elements of self control with par
ticular reference to health. with EVIL
dent benefit. AS an exercise in self
mastery and as direct contribution
to health deep breathing holds a prom
inent place. Among the exercises Of
the quiet hour one can employ 1t with
assurance of benefit.
Sit with the trunk erect and self
supported, breathe deeply a few times
and then, taking as deep a breath as
you can, hold 1t as long as you can.
Do this a number Of times at one sit
ting. Use your will power upon such
action daily for an indefinite period. It
Is a good daily practice. You will
have some sense Of smothering, the
control Of yourself under which Is q
valuable part Of the exercise.
The Future Trained Nurse.
The day is not far of when to be
trained" nurse she, as well as the
physician that directs her, must know
much Of the psychic treatment of bodi-
ly Ills. She can save life in an emer-
gency by the power of health sugges-
tions even after her best manual skill
fails. She can put new determination
into the tagging will. new courage into
the weakening heart. We all know
that good nursing is the indispensable
something in sickness. But good nurs-
ing to be most efficient should work
n hA
| upon his body.-Robert Macdonald in
Mind, Religion and Health"
Aysisnie Thoughts.
Tho vouyor ~ Po1<h shall .o~n <hn