Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-01-12
DIAGNOSTIC DREAMS
Bv H. AddingtOn Bruce

HAT dreams, psychologically analysed,
1 assist to an understanding of their
~ dreamers character and personality is
today almost commonplace of popular knowl-
edge. Far less generally appreciated is the
fact that at times they may also assist to
recognition of obscure conditions of bodily
disease menacing the dreamer.
Medical men themselves do not as a rule
appreciate this fact, else in making diagnoses
they would more frequently question patients
about their dreams. But occasionally there is
forthcoming from some medical man impress
sive testimony as to the diagnostic value of
certain dreams, particularly dreams of re-
current sort
Thus we find in a recent issue of the New
York Medical Journal a Boston physician, DR..
e. G.. Mitchell, reporting several instances in
which dreams helped him to make correct
diagnosis of disease In one of these instances
the patient a man Of forty, sought medical
advice simply because he was tormented by a
recurrent dream of a rat gnawing into his
body.
In this dream, which came to him every
few nights there was some variation of de-
tail, but the central image of the gnawing
rat was always the same. ut just here,
a-gnaWing, and then l wake up" Nor did
the location Of the gnawing ever vary, and I'M
that, after waking, he sometimes felt pain
in the place where the rat had been gnawing
This decided DR.. Mitchell to undertake, not
psychological analysis but X-ray and CASTRO
analysis Then it was found that the dream
err had duOdenal ulcer, for which an opera
ton was at once performed. Two years have
elapsed and there has been no return of the
rat-gnawing dream.
Another patient, a mddleaged woman, con-
suited DR.. Mitchell with the request that he
apply psychological analysis to the unraveing
Of the mystery Of a recurrent dream in which
a trained nurse seemed to hold lighted can
die against the dreamers left leg.
When the dream first set in, it appeared,
the dreamnurse merely held the candle toward
the leg, without burning it. But latterly
there was always a more or less severe burn
ing This dream required about twice a
week, and the dreamer was certain it meant
something.
With this DR.. Mitchell agreed, but Ques-
toned the correctness of the dreamer's belief
that it had a wholly psychological meaning.
On her admission that she sometimes felt a
pain in her left shin, where the dream-candle
was placed he advised his patient to consult
a surgeon and have an X-ray picture taken
Eventually operation was necessary for a
diseased condition in the bone of the left
leg.
In a third case, young woman for several
years dreamed frequently of being chased
for long distance by an unknown man. She
would awake from this dream trembling
breathing rapidly, and with exceedingly
fast pulse Keeping her under observation
Dr. Mitchell discovered that in the waking
state, the same physical symptoms were often
present.
Making a diagnosis of glandular trouble
he began to administer thyroid extract. Her
general condition promptly began to improve,
and the, recurrent dream ceased troubling
her. DR.. Mitchell notes:
stopping glandular therapy for a few
months, both physical symptoms and dream
REQUIRED, and again disappeared under gland
ular therapy."
If any among my readers know Of instances
akin to these, l should be glad to learn of
them. Diligent exploration Of this neglected
field Of diagnostic dreams would certainly
seem to be in order.
Copyright 1924)