Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-08

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their mental and physical resources. many
OF the leading physicians and scientists Of
the United States have abandoned drugs
as the cure for the nervous wrecks pre-
sented TO them for treatment II is be-
coming the fashion among many OF the
most brilliant practitioners to treat such
cases with neither medicine nor knife. The
new remedy is thought. or the use OF sug-
gestion with the aid OF hypnotism. There
are physicians In New York, Washington
and other large cities who say to the ex-
hausted, nervous society women: You do
not need medicine. You must teach your
brain and your nerves to rest. You must
receive into your mind the compelling mes
sage that the only thing which can help
you is calm and repose. We can give IL
to you, but not by the use of medicines
or drugs"
To the business man, who has gone I'M
der such pressure that he can control
neither his nerves nor his brain, they give
the same advice. Hypnotlsm, which was
once regarded as wltchcraft. and later "a
an instrument only for harm, has become
a benign Influence on modern American
life a practical remedy for the distinctly
American 'ailment Of nerves and the
mental troubles which follow. II has har-
monized many a shattered nervous system:
1t has saved countless men and women
from insane asylums, and it has been lem
onstrated as O reliable cure Of certain cases
of drug and cigarette habits.
A washington physician, who is known as
one OF the pioneers In the movement to
treat the ailments Of the brain by the cur
alive force OF a healthy and normal mind,
recently had a young man patient who was
literally a nervous and physical wreck
from the use Of cigarettes. He told the pa
tent that hypnotic suggestion was the only
possible cure for him, and the young man
agreed to try II. For five different treat
ments he was hypnotized, and there was
conveyed to his receptive mind by the phys
ician this one thought: "You will never
want to smoke another ciragette: but. II
you do, 1t will make you feel deathIy sick.
so sick that you will never try to smoke
again" After the fifth treatment. the doc.
tor declared the cigarette victim cured. The
days went by without any craving for
cigarettes on the young mans part. On
the third day he attempted to smoke one.
but was seized with such violent nausea
that to this day he has never touched
another cigarette.
This is a serviceable example OF the sim
pllcity OF the cure which has been advanced
for a nation which is nerve-ridden. That
such a remedy was sorely needed is shown
by the fact that, while the death rate from
contagious disease has dropped 40 per cent
since 1880, the rate from kidney, heart and
mental troubles has increased So per cent.
The physicians say tina the women OF
America, as well as the men, live on their
nerves, because they do not stop when
their wearied bodies cry out for rest. They
see everybody else on the go, and they do
not believe that they can afford to be left
out.
A New York physician is authority for
the statement that the number OF neryoug
collapses and breakdowns among society
women has grown to an almost Incredible
extent. A Washington doctor says that In
addition to society leaders being broken
in the fierce social competition, there are
members of congress and other government
officials who break down under the strain.
Both physicians agree that much Of the
nervous trouble is caused by the increase
in drinking and smoking in what is known
as high society"
The New Yorker on one occasion treated
a society woman who was plainly the vic
tim Of intoxicating drink. He asked her IL
she drank to excess, and she manifested in
dignant surprise that he should ask the
question. Finally, her explanation was that
she drank nothing but absinthe, that she
did this only when she needed II as a
medicine, that she frequently became ex-
hausted by her social duties, constant calls
and late hours, and that absinthe was the
only tonic which kept her on her feet.
Upon his saying that she must discontinue
the abslnthe drinking, she professed her
utter inability to do so. After he had
treated her by hypnotic suggestion she
neither liked nor needed absinthe. She let
1t alone absolutely and in three months
was again well and strong.
This same doctor had the case of a
broker who had formed the habit Of but
toning and unbuttoning the top button OF
his coat. 1t was merely an evidence that
his nervousness was so great as to need
an outward expression OF some kind. but
1t had grown to such an extent as to make
him appear ridiculous TO his friends and
business associates. There was never a
moment, when his hands were free, that he
was not buttoning and unbuttoning the
coat, OF course, when he became convinced
that he could not stop the habit, he at that
moment did lose control OF the situation.
1t was then that he sent to the physician
for the hypnotic treatment. 1t required
only ten treatments for him to become con-
WINGED that the buttoning Of his coat was
entirely ridiculous and unnecessary. The
conviction cam to him by the doctors
saying to him over and over again, while