Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-24
New Idea i'm Medical Practice
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

The. idea that people with certain
mental characteristics are most likely
TO contract certain physical diseases
Is now being advanced.
+ Doctors have from time to time
noted that persons suffering from diff
ferent chronic diseases are apt to be
depressed or excitable or selfish or
unreasonable. 1t has been supposed
that the disease affected the mind and
character OF the patient.
Not SO long ago a British specialist
wrote: II believe that tuberculosis
has a. distinct and often a we'll mark
ed influence on the mentality of its
victims
Now the question is raised as to
whether the mental traits might not
have preceded the disease. We are
asked to consider the proposition that
q certain personality is more apt to
fall a prey to cancer, and that the
person of another different type Of
berculosis.
Pioneer research in this line has
just been reported by DR.. A. II. Muhl.
chiatrist. The subjects Of the expert
ment were thirty girls and women
suffering from tuberculosis. The Sc
lection of this disease stmptified the
task, since most doctors believe that
there Is g. psychology of tuberculosis,
which may go with cancer or diabetes
have not been recognized or studisd
to any extent. Tho optimism Of tu-
bercular patients, In Particular. is
noted by most observers OF the dis
ease. Even, when there is no chance
pear cheerful and unduly hopeful.
Doctors have never fully understood
why this should be So Dr. Null de-
termined to analyIe this optimism.
and II possible, to- find out what
might Me back of 1t.
Subjects Of AL Ages and Kinds.
The thirty subjects Of the expert
ment ranged In age. from four years
to sixty. They wore in various stages
Of the disease, and they represented
all walks Of life and all stages of
culture. Most of them were hospital
patients. Five had had nervous or
mental troubles. ALI the rest were
normal persons, That is, they always
adjusted themselves successfully and
satisfactorily to their surroundings.
/ BY use Of an elaborate outline that
covered the, mental, medical and So
cial history Of each patient. the per-
soneHty Of the patient MAS revealed.
Some of the points could be learned
by asking simple questions. Other
1ectly and after long acquaintance
with the individual. In some cases II
was necessary to resort to psyche
Analysts Ia order to trace out OBJ
scvro reasons for mental attitudes
Eventually. the outlines we're COM
to Interpret them. and to show
whether these thirty typical patients
! had any siEnifcant traits in, common
| The mind Of any human being Is
Extremely complex ana 1t Is impos-
| stble to explain here all OF the men
tai factora which the study Of tbs
thirty .asisass rsysa, !, a lons US =
oSe Of the most st,ikins point.
shovn IL that the consNnpttve pa
ttSnt, from the child OF four to the
{eldefty woman, Is torn to an unusual
decree between ambition and Inertia
/ Amhitton drives the individual on ts
| sxpsnd energy In all sorts Of ways
While inertia makes the effort Of do.
ling things seem at times insurmount'
liable. This means q prodtEal misuse
I OF energy which Is believed to be the
kcause rather than the result Of the
kindiyiduaYs breakdown.
u ID = we'll known fscs tnat tne "a.
tsSSs,,Sasas & essH ShAdAea1 ~ 8
Eoff the effects Of injection and the
kSjsease never becomes aetiye. Thi