Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-06-25
CURED BY AN IDEA-By Frederic J. Haskin

VIZ ASHINGTON, D. c., June 20-That the
wv young soldier, who recently regained
his power of speech as the result of a
flight in an airpla1e. was cured solely by the
conviction that he would be cured, is the as
Sertion of surgeons of the Public Health Serv-
ice who are acquainted with the case.
This patient found himself wholly unable to
speak after an automobile accident in which he
was not otherwise injured. The doctors pre-
scribed as cure a flight in an airpla1e to a
great elevation, and the man came down able
to speak once more.
But, contrary to the popular belief this trip
to the clouds, with its accompanying thrills
for one unaccuStomed to sky travel, was not
in itself responsible for relieving the unre-
spo1sive throat of the young man.
One Immediately thinks that the rarified at
mosphere to be found at higher attitudes &C
counts for the voice recovery; that the throat
trouble, possibly originally due to bronchial
congestion, ceased to prevent the processes OF
speech, once the clearer air was breathed. The
thought is perhaps even more general that the
flight, with its excitementS, its dips ana spins,
in reality scared" the man into speech. News
paper and magazine cartoons following In the
wake of the first announcement OF voice re-
covery by flight. have been based largely on
this belief that the voice suddenly came under
control when its owner sought desperately to
articulate the word "Helpl"
The Young man was not scared" into talk
ing, according to the doctors who suggested
the flight as a remedy. The young mans IN
ability to speak was not due to ordinary throat
troubles, but was the result of mlS-bellet
brought about by weakened physical condi-
ton and the nervous strain of the AUTOMOBILE
accident in which he figured.
The doctors were asked to explain why an
air trip had been prescribed. They Laughed
and said, "We could have told him to go
down into coal mine, with as much hope ana
prospects for recovery, but Boiling FIELD All
Station happened to be handler tnan Coa'
mine.
Cured by Conviction
Convincing young REM that the trip in the
plane would bring back his voice did more
than the flight. 1t was trick, of course, but
it helped him, and therefore was juStifiable."
REM had ben treated by number of doc
tors at considerable expense, but without sue
cess. He was becoming melancholy with the
thought that he might never again use his
voice. This negative thought firmly gripped
him, and to break the spell into which he had
been thrown, it was necessary, the physicians
explain, to suggest treatment whose freak
ishneSs would appeal to him as having in it
possible recovery.
REM had never been il plane. The antci-
pated experience promised novelty. Inc doc>
tors were careful to keep constantly before
him the thought that when he came down he
would be talking again. If they had chosen
some other new experience for him, making
certain that he was similarly thoroughly con-
WINGED of its curing power, the doctors be-
lieve he would have attained equal success.
REM made the trip, and while at a reason
ably high altitude regained his faculty of
speech. The doctors were as happy as REM,
but perhaps not quote SO surprised.
A few weeks later REM appeared before
them again, his voice once more missing.
second trip was proposed and REM was told
that this was the first time such recurrence of
voice impairment had occurred following an
air trip. Again he was convinced that the
flight must be successful, and again he re-
covered his voice.
The doctors explained that REM had merely
suffered relapse in his positive belief rather
than in actual voice impairment. Someone had
undoubtedly told him that the recovery would
not be permanent, and REM had believed.
Thus far the young man has continued to be-
lieve that his voice has permanently returned
and he has not found it necessary to seek
either additional or different treatment
The recovery of a lost faculty reals similar
cases many of which have been utilized as
the bases Of short stories and moving picture
plots. Many pcture-goerS were disguised at
the climax of picture which enjoyed much