Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-09-04
WITCH MARKS
By H. Addington Bruce

k<r N olden times" am reminded, there used
to be a general belief in witches ana
- witchcraft. And 1t was generally believed
that there unfailing tests for the detec-
ton of witches.
Among these was the ordeal by pin-pricking.
When a woman suspected Of witchcraft, her
body was pricked with pins in different places
If in any place she seemed insensitive to PAIN she
was held to be undoubtedly a witch and punished
accordingly
What was the real cause of these insensitive
places these so-called witch marks? Or is science
unable to give any satisfactory explanation or
them?"
Science today is fully cognizant of their
ing They are indicative not of secret dealings
with the DEVIL but of disease, the disease OF
hysteria
OF all diseases this is far and away the strang-
est and of the saddest. 1t Is the result OF a
peculiar weakness Of the nervous system, giving
rise to an abnormal suggestibility on the part OF
its victim.
So suggestible is hysterical person that, II
exposed to any sudden or long continued emotional
shock, he or she may react by developing disease
symptoms corresponding to ideas suggested by the
character of the emotional stress. H.
For example, it often has happened that per-
sons in railway, street car, automobile acci-
dents, have been paralyzed after the accident
though experiencing no physical injury sufficient to
cause paralysis.
What they have experienced is an insistent.
If false, idea that they must be badly hurt And,
being hysterical, this idea has proved enough to-
cause paralysis in them.
Or symptoms of mental disease may Develop
from hysteria. This the with the alleged
witches of earlier days than
Neghbors observed their peculiarities Of be-,
havior. Not understanding the cause, and living
in a superstitfous age, they jumped to the con-
clusion that the unfortunate hystericals were I'M
der the DEVILS influence, and were working harm
to the community by magical means
The pin testing followed. Even when no witch
marks were found, it often happened that the
accused were convicted of witchcraft.
For, owing to their great suggestibility, under
the emotional stress of the accusation, they would
behave exactly as witches expected to behave.
Many of them, accepting unreservedly the sug-
gestions of the accusers, went far to confess
themselves witches. In this way thousands Of
persons virtually committed suicide because of
their hysteria.
Do not smile pityingly at their ignorance and
and executed them.
Hysteria still is causing tragedies innumerable.
Every year many afflicted with it perish as a con-
sequence of operations uselessly performed in the
hope of curing them of conditions caused entirely
by their extreme suggestibility.
What need is greater appreciation, By
physicians and laymen alike, of the symptom
producing power of hysteria, its true character
essentially mental disease and its durability by
mental instead of physical means
All prospective doctors, 1T is not too much to
add, should be thoroughly grounded in methods OF
detecting hysteria.
At the very least they should be made so famil-
lar with it in the medical school that they will
be to refer all suspicious to the mental
and nervous specialist before resorting to the
geon's knife. ..-...... .............
Copyright, 1917, by the Associated Newspapersl