New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-09
GOLFERS NEUROS|S NOW
London Doctors Discover Rival
to Popularity" of Appendicitis.
HYPN0TISM THE REMEDY
New Disease Renders Player
Incapable Of Swinging Club
with Ball Before Him.
F>rom The Tribune Correspondent

From The Tribune Correspondent)
London. Feb. IA new complaint
golfers neurosis-has been discovered by
the medical faculty here, and bids fair to
rival appendicitis in popularity" 1t is
q sort of equivalent to writer's cramp,
and it is easy to conceive that when the
golfing enthusiast finds himself unable to
get within measurable distance OF boyle
score he has no doubt at all about the
cause-golfer's neurosis. For this the cure
Is hypnotism, and an experiment-the
first of It's kind for this newly discovered
malady-was carried out with eninently
successful results at Guys Hospital few
days ago in the presence OF a number OF
doctors and medical students. The opera
tors we're a West End specialist and an
equally reputable West End hypnotist,
and the victim was an amateur golfer,
who up to the time that he broke down,
was plus player.
For long time his complaint puzzled
the doctors, says one report. Instead Of
hitting the ball with his old force and
accuracy, he found himself absolutely in b
capable of even swinging a golf club
when the ball was in front Of him.
Physically he was in perfect condition.
and nerve specialists diagnosed his
absolute helplessness as due to over
concentration on the game, with the re-
suit that the nerves had struck work so
far as golf was concerned. II was to
coax them back to their job that course
OF hypnotism was decided on. The ex-
pertinent aroused great curiosity In the
medical world by reason of It's novelty
and tho novelty Of the complaint.
The patient was put under hypnotic in
fiuence and simply told that he could hit
a golf ball and could play the game, and
that he was to go away and try. The
result was seen later In the day, whsn
the patient. who was quite cheerful,
turned UP at his golf club, and, without
the slightest difficulty or hesitation, drove
a long and accurate ball from the first
tee-the first that he had been capable Of
driving for some months. The result wss
reported to the specialist in charge OF the
hypnotic experiment, who expressed him.
self thoroughly satisfied with the result.
Hypnotism Nervous "curs AM
Treatment of nervous disorders by hyp-
motto suggestion is no new thing in Eng
. land. and as already reported IN Inc
Tribune, Liverpool has possessed psyeno-
therapeutic clinic since last autumn The
propr,etors OF the institution claim that
the treatment has cured, among other
things, nervous disorders. morphia mama
indigestion, dipsomania. a bright little
girls mania for cutting up her clothes
chronic lying and thieving. internal
growth of a dangerous nature, nerve
storms, a terror Of open spaces VICIOUS
habits and the state Of mind described
as the "borderland" OF insanity.
Liverpool specialist, interviewed on
the subject OF hypnotic treatment pointed
out that nearly all these ailments are as
eases Of the mind and little likely 10 De
Influenced by ordinary medicines. III
no use putting medicine into a mans
stomach 10 make him think" he sad'
land you cannot teach any one the muip-
plication table by giving him po~der'
7 have personally handled many remark
able cases. and | am not BIT surprisea
TO hear OF the cure effected In the case
of the golfers neurosis." Continuing inc
specialist said:
I recently treated man VINO was IL
perfect athlete who took part IN ~
kinds OF sport, and yet who aoso.uteay
could not cross the road by himself on
reaching q street corner he "oulu sVvp
and then, retracing his steps VAIN o ~
and down the pavement until some . ons
undertook 10 pilot him across. This lea,
OF crossing the road was so great 'na.
ne always walked on the SIDE oi,ad
street on which his house was slu,Sc
tie Is now quite cured through h!p'iONo
suggestion. Nj. h.,rr
Another patient had horror OF oems
In a closed place. and, as he SAID 70 D ~
once. as soon as he got III o ,a. eor,.
carriage, he was done. ne Was eV ,hs
ing TO see me once. and on the way ,bs
terror overcame him. He got out OF tns
train at the next station ana "a'Ae'
some eight miles 10 Liverpool .,,,x
On another occasion. while mans
long journey, this patient dsc 90. an
that the train would no, oo s,oP IN To
use his own words he suffered asoh.ssd
and in his distraction he finally cramt
under the seat In every othe, fWe
ne was perfectly robust and healthy. rhy
have now cured him or MS "eaA''
hypnotic suggestion. Ian. baa
Other people we have treated ha.e , an
terror OF the fields" They l.e, I,,,,h
dare not 20 out into an open place WIZ"
no house In sight.
Cancer Cured by Hypnotic 1rea'ms"'
Describing the remarkable cure OF
man suffering from an Internal grown
the doctor said that. as the result Oh =.
operation. the medical man diagnosed '''
growth as cancerous, and It was so pr
life that II would be impossible 10 ren''.s
II. The patient was given mon'"
live. The physician continued:
with the object OF making his REMAIN
ing days more comfortable. our spec'a"''
resorted to hypnotic treatment VII"
suits far exceeding all anticipations' Inv
man became strong and well ana Is NV
perfectly robust. 49,,
The hypnotic specialist declares u.a
the growth Is now absorbed. The ao',0'
who performed the operation explains -"
matter by saying that the diagnosis
incorrect.