Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-03-11
WORRY AND THE HEART
By H. Addington Bruce
ORRY is bad for the heart-this


VIZ ORRY is bad for the heart-this is today
wv a commonplace of popular as well as
medical knowledge. But comparatively
few people outside of the medical profession
appreciate how bad worry may be for The heart,
especially if the heart is none too strong to
begin with.
And what is also important to appreciate,
even persons afflicted with a serious condition
Of heart disease may get along well enough,
provided they refuse to worry about the state
of their heart, and cultivate emotional control
in general. Let them begin to worry, heart
symptoms quite disabling them may promptly
develop.
As in this typical instance from the expe-
rie1ce of New York physician, DR.. S. Neuhof
A dentist, who in boyhood had had an attack
of scarlet fever complicated by articular rheu-
matism, learned through medical examination
seven years ago that he was victim of valvular
heart disease. He had never had reason to SuS-
pect this, for, though always physically active
and athletic, he had not been troubled in the
slightest by the usual indications of heart weak
ness.
Nor, though he continued to be as active as
before, did his heart bother him until, early
last year, family disSenSions developed.
Over these he began to worry and brood.
And now for the first time his pulse became
excessively rapid, he began to have difficulty
in breathing, and other SymptimS appeared of
such a sort that medical aid was imperatively
needed
"The further course of the case is interesting"
to quote DR.. Neuhof. "The patient was placed
on lumnal tablets in doses of one and half
grains. He was sent to the country for the
summer, and was told to do very little walking
and to rest outdoors good part of the day.
cat the end of several weeks the tachycardia
(faSt pulse) and continued consciousness of his
heart action present at the first examination dis
appeared. He was able to walk at natural
pace without any cardiac symptoms.
"Recently he has again taken up his dental
work and feels as comfortable as he ever did.
He is gradually taking up his old routine of
life"
In this case it was possible to attack the
psychic element-the worry over family trou-
bleS-by changing the patients environment
through sending him away from home. Often,
however, the only method of attack is through
psychic re-education designed to give greater
emotional control.
And since prevention is always be+ter-and
far easier-than cure, it is we'll for all heart
patients to appreciate the dangerous conse-
quenceS worry may hold for them, and earneS.-
ly to endeavor to conquer worry before it has
opportunity to give rise 20 symptoms to be
troublesome and perhaps battling the best med
ical efforts at relief
Of course, the mere knowledge that one has
an organic disease of the heart is itself strong
incentive to worry. None The less, to Sur.en-
der to worry remains the worst possible course
one can take, so far as concerns Strengthening
the weakened heart.
Whereas, by refusing to worry the outlook
is at once improved. There may even be, as
in the case of DR.. Neuhof's dentist, non-ap-
pearance of any hear: symptoms whatsoever so
long as a calm, serene attitude is maintained
Copyright, 1922, by The Associated News
paperS)