Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-24

doctor fits this fact into her theory
by saying.
Many Of these patients got their
infections In early childhood and took
care OF them for years, only to break
with the disease IN adult life-why?
Because when they struck some par
ticular- period of stress which re-
CURED still more energy for adjust
ment, the reserve, never so great as
in the average person, was used up,
care OF the physical difficulties
If YOU accept this energy problem
as typical OF every tubercular patient
and 1t was found in varying degrees
you at once come to the question OF
whether 1t is going to be necessary
to treat the mental condition OF pa
tients suffering from what we think
has not been done to any extent. Ex-
pert pSychiatristS are far from nu-
merous. And a tuberculosis hospital
of say 200 beds would require two or
three experts to make thorough study
OF all cases.
Psychetherapy to BE Used.
Perhaps the specialist OF the future
will be skilled not only in the physi-
cal but also in the mental lore Of
| a particular disease. Psychotherapy
would be used to advantage in addi-
ton TO routine treatment for tuber-
culosis to teach the patient how to
release certain energy-tying trends
and how to restrain other energy
expanding traits. thus obtaining q
fund Of reserve energy so. much
| needed for the process OF getting
| we'll.
How superficial mental traits may
mislead a physician who is concerned
chiefly with physical symptoms Is in
dictated by the unexpected findings In
regard to the proverbial optimism Of
the tubercular. According to the per-
sonality outlines OF the thirty pa
tients, every one was OF a tempera-
ment that is easily elated and easily
depressed. The tubercular patient
, may be buoyantly cheerful one hour
and the victim Of the blues the next.
! But she does not often reveal the ex-
tent Of depression to those about her.
1 About half Of the women OF the ex-
pertinent candidly admitted to the
doctor that they were often depressed.
while the other half denied It. Some
who said they were never depressed
later admitted that they didn't wish
to say anything about being low
| spirited because to do so didn't seem
| quite like playing the game.
/ revealed In other points Of the out
| line. Disappointments or annoyances
which would seem slight to most peo-
ple were . cause Of deep-rooted re-
!, sentiment or Worry to these patients.
! No attempt ct psychotherapy was
many Of the patients beneAted from
the limited amount Of analysis done
ip order to obtain date for the study,
! The conclusion Is that Tuberculosis
is still very much OF mystery, be-
cause q physical disease Is not merely
like an isolated defect in a piece OF
each Of which influences the others
One Is the physical condition, which
4 has been studied 50 that q great deal
lis known about the clinical aspect OF
tuberculosis, the symptoms and pos
sible courses Of treating them. The
Of the patient, which is Just begin.
ming to be regarded - Important. II
IS still Q novel idea that Q patient
With q phyaicAl aAlment should BE-
treated by psYoAtatrtst: Perhaps II
should be made plain that there y
Tuberculosis or other chroHic diseases
ID abnormal mentally.
+ The third factor. the least under
stood OF all, is the biochemicat. The
biochemist analyses the body tissues
and fluids and notes the chemical
out their effect on the .a.rvohs sys:
tenn. ALI three, physical. mental and
thiochemical are insxtricahly Mnket
ktogether, So. In future, We are told
&c - GoinF to - the phystcten whe
444e1stAn4A ana tAAea Al eS 49,
1fes iiiHt' sacsc a COPE w~isS IL
2iSe2Se