Atlanta semi-weekly journal., 1918-02-05
NERVOUS ASTHMA
By H. Addington Bruce


- T is important to recognize that mdch asthma
has no essential organic basis.
There is asthma due to an organic pull
monary affection. There is asthma caused by
heart kidney disease, and there is asthma re-
sulting from an exceptional organic susceptibility
to various dusts.
But there is also asthma great deal of asth-
ma-which is wholly functional in character and
which is the product chiefly of self-suggestion- on
it's victims part.
Many people who think themselves burdened
with organic asthma are in reality suffering from
asthma caused by their own faulty thinking. If
they would think little differently they WOULD
become free from their asthma
Take the of a certain patient addicted to
severe asthmatic attacks if obliged to remain for
any length of time in -stufy atmosphere.
Sleeping one night with friend in country
hotel, the single window in the room being closed
for warmth, this patient during the night was
overcome by of his attacks
Gaspingly he reused his friend and begged
him to open the window. Cropping in the dark the
friend found that the window would not bulge.
Alarmed by the asthmatic ones desparing ap-
peals he promptly smashed the glass with the heel
of boot At once there came sigh of relief from
the patient, who soon was peacefully asleep,
But it was not fresh air that had relieved him.
lie had been relieved solely by the belief that fresh
air had been admitted into the room.
For morning revealed the interesting fact that
In the dark the obliging friend had made
mistake and had smashed the glass in the front of
an old bookcase. The window still was intact and
tightly shut.
1t is not recorded that this experience effected
a lasting But it may we'll have done
Certainly, as DR.. j. ]. Walsh has pointed out:
1.-The one hears of cures for asthma, and
the longer has experience with these cases. the
clearer does it become that there is large sug-
gestive element in every treatment.
"Any strong mental influence. especially if
companied by the suggestion of assured relief, is
likely to do much for asthma of essentially neu-
rotic character, and, indeed, is more powerful in
dispeling the symptoms of the seizure than al
most any means we have.
sometimes even things absolutely Indifferent
which produce a profound mental impression
prove curative.
There are many stories of men in the midst
of a severe asthmatic seizure being suddenly
reused by the cry of fire, alarm Of some kind
near them, having the spasmodic conditions dis
appear as if by magic"
Asthmatic patients will do well to give some
thought to the possibility of their own asthma be-
ing a functional rather than organic trouble. IN
less a good physician has already passed on this
point it will pay them to have an examination
made by a specialist in nervous disorders.
Copyright. 1918, by the Associated Newspapers)
A brickIayer. whose nationality was apparent
in all he said and did, working scaffod
when suddenly brick slipped from his hand and
dropped with a sickening thud onto the head of
his pal, who mixing mortar below.
The unfortunate started dancing about
and groaning in his agony. The bricklayer stared
down at him with something very like contempt
In his eyes.
Come comet" he called down at last 1T
can't have hurt much that, Why, it
wasn't on your head half a secondi"