The Raymer enterprise., 1919-01-09

N - "S ~ Sbi "a iS' tit uii' it~ l.
liled statement that functional l.erv-
Gus and mental maladies afc .nere
symptoms of the disease of self-een
teredness. But he proceeds to es-
tablish his case in most eouyinc-
ing manner. "Your. typical victim
of hysteria keeps his attention fixed
inceasantly on his hysterical symp-
toms The psychastlt.ne's
eternal cry Is i fear something Is
going to happen to ME-! His Mai
esty, Myself is regnant in all these
poor people"
DR.. Boris Sidis, the eminent New
England specialist is quoted as
bluntly and frankly stating the ease
In these words. Zone trait aiways
revealed to me the predominant.
characteristic under constantly
changing psychopathic symptom
complex. and that is the extreme
selfishness of the patients
II Is explained how work has come
to be such a marvellous curative fac
tor In the treatment If this class OF
disorders, The whole problem is to
arouse the interest OF the patient in
some form OF congenipl work. When
interest is once drawn away from
self, the physical and mental fune-
tions are permitted TO resume their
normal course. an1 the patient he
gins to recover Ar an.rsing Illus
tration is cited OF a lnan apparently
in the last stages Of some deadly
disease, applying 1t = ''.cN England
sanitarium, after having gone The
rounds of a number G. health re-
sorts and specilists. No physician
had been able to .iq nnr any evil
dence of organic disorder; ah!eh'
convinced the batieut that he was
the victim OF ,9oms strange disease
that no one understood For a week
he skept to hi' room. declaring he
felt too weak Ia 80 DIVA d1irs
The chief ph hysp.,ea tactfuily per-
shaded him to beg raking a plot
.of ground In the garden Within 3
week he was worisirg with great en-
thusiasm. and in threr months was
completely cured
Social service work is frequently
advised nowadays as. Treatment for
such cases. Not cnly does this fur
nish occupation that has strfng an
peal to most peore, hnt il hiings
them ip contact v'i.h the umf3rtp.
nate and with su,f,ri'rs sach as
they have never them .l''es endured.
feelings OF pity aud altruism ale
aroused, a new viewpoint is ub.
tained, and the patient ID often
greatly benefited, or entirely cured.
The author attacks the popular
belief that insanity awavs has It's
roots In heredity. This idea is cor
rect only TO the extent that hered-
ity may bo responsible for weakness
es. that may develope into insanity
unless care Is taken to guard again
st conditions favorable to It's deyel-
opement The most essential pre-
caution such a one can take IS the
avoidance of sef-centeredness The
worst Of all forms OF insanity IL po-
pularly known as soitening OF the
brain. This is a germ disease, and
yet II is shown that self-eenteredness
leads in It's direction This germ Is
contracted In most cases, not all. IN
the course OF immoral living. I'M
moral people are selfish. The plea
sure derived from indulgenes ~ the
dominant motive Of life, oyershqd-
owing considerations OF deocney
honor. or even self-respect Their
self-centered selfishness. or ego-eeH-
trio habits of life. Keep always
before your minds eye the manifold
dangers to which he will be expos
ed If you allow him to grow up con-
ceited. selfish. self-indulgent, self
plying, lacking In self-control and
lacking In altruistic sentiments", h
the authors advice TO parents
A striking parallel is noted be-
tween selhshness and erme. BE
tween both the criminal in high plac-
es and the criminal in low there Is
the kinship Of an irresistible ego
centric craving for a sence of power.
a craving so strong that all altruis
tic instincts are wholly submerged. "
Hayelock Ellis, the noted psycholo-
gist long ago called attention TO the
vanity OF criminals.
II seems the author stops at moth
ing in the catalogue Of human Ills
that is not u/some way related To
seliishness. In this he Is in entire
accord with the moral teachings with
which most OF us are familiar. He
promises In later article TO show