Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-08-06
CURES BY SHOCK
BY H. Addington Bruce

by H. AuulIlSlOll DIuCC
livery once in while we read in the news
r. papers about some astonishing cure of
- deafness, dumbness, blindness, or paralysis
by an unexpected shock. People who have not
spoken or heard a word for years, who have been
blind helplessly crippled their lost fac
ulties solely the result of a severe fright
Now it is the case of woman paralyzed in her
lower limbs for twelve years finding that she can
well walk when tiny mouse abruptly
flashes into her range of vision.
Again man stunned in accident loses all
power of speech. Months pass without his uttering
a word. A second accident greatly frightens him.
Forthwith he is able to talk freely.
Or perhaps we have to do with boy unable to
raise his arm, following slight fall. No bones
broken, but the arm hangs powerless.
Thus it remains until one day physician sug-
gests that an electrical current may restore motion
to the arm. The word electricity" terrifieS the
unfortunate boy Whereupon the suggested cure
is not needed for the arm moves of its own accord
1t would be easy, but foolish, to explain all
occurrences like these on the ground that those
concerned were feigning disability. People do Iot
feign twelve-year-long paralysis for fun or any
other reason
Hysteria is the correct explanation, so far as
the nature of the Deafness dumbness, blindness,
paralysis is in question. But how explain the
cures by shock?
One way of explaining them, advanced by some
specialists to that in the hystercal con-
dition there is disconnecting of neurons, as the
nerve-cells with their appendages are termed.
Because of the disconnection the throat,
tongue, ear, eye, arm, Leg other organ is unable
to react properly to nerve impulses. The shock,
by causing recOnnection OF the affected neurons
restores normal functioning.
This is a very pretty theory. Possibly it accu-
rately describes the physical mechanism of hystera
and it's cure But it is demonstrably wrong in
accepting fright at its face value the directly
curative agent
Many hystericals get badly frightened without
being cured. Others are cured by various means
in which the element of shock is conspicuously
absent.
And virtually all apt to be temporarily
cured under conditions which for the time prevent
them from paying attention to their symptoms
Thus a hysterical paraytc may be observed to
move his arms legs while asleep or in hypnotic
trance. One case is REGARD of man, paralyzed
in both legs, who climbed nimby up to the roof OF
a house during a somnambulic state.
Awakened he again became paralyzed, obvious
ly because he took it for granted that he must
be paralyzed His paralysis, that is, the result
of a combination of ERRONEOUS BELIEF and
FIXED ATTENTION.
When shock comes therefore, it by acting
as an agent to bring about new state of mind.
The hysterical paralytic, frightened so badly
that he runs is able to run for the that the
fright has completely taken his mind off his
paralysis; and the resultant demonstration that he
can run breaks down the erroneous belief that has
been keeping him paralyzed.
AS stated though, shock does not always cure
hystericals Many are too firmly enslaved by their
obsession of incapacity. Shock may, in fact, make
their condition worse.
Wherefore it is always risky business to I'M
dertake to cure hysteria by deliberately subjecting
the victim to a condition of shock, is sometimes
done. Other and safer means are available for the
expert physician.
Copyright, 1918, by the Associated Newspapers