Imperial Valley press., 1940-10-15
Your Nerves
And You

This is one of series of spe-
cial articles revealing typical cases
of nervous and mental disorders
and their treatment through
thought control as carried out by
the author and his associates at
the Boston Dispensary famous
charitable health clinic.
BY WINFRED RHOADES
When Bertha D. was told that
she had syphilis it was terrible
shock. I went to pieces entirely.
she says. Il was afraid they would
think me a common woman"
She was largely ignorant about
such matters when the infection
was discovered through a blood
test made after motor accident.
and did not know it could be
picked up by chance contact She
wondered if the husband whom
she had trusted completely had
been unfaithful to her.
When a test OF his blood showed
him to be free from disease she
decided thaving now become some
what informe6 that the dread in
lection must have been acquired
from some customer whom she
happened to touch, in just the
right way, during her years of
work as a hairdresser Then. with
determination, she went ahead
with the necessary treatments.
Three years after this she dis
covered a swelling in her breast,
feared cancer, but had such dread
of surgery that for two months she
did nothing about it. But once
more the mood of wholesome de-
termination asserted itself.
If I let this go probably I won't
be able to be cured" she said. The
operation was performed on Christ
mas Eve. This was another pain
full experience.
After the operation she asked the
surgeon to tell her plainly the pre-
else condition. Il am like that"
she says. Il want to face things
squarely and know just what the
facts are"
The desire to face things square
ly, and the determination which
drives her on to conquer one diff
fidulty after another. are bringing
a new vigor into Bertha DIS life.
Life has involved struggle for
her from the beginning. Five
months after the death of her
father she was born into the hard
ship and toll that poverty entails
She can remember taking surrep-
titious sips of milk when sent to
the store for the pint or half-pint
which was all her mother could
afford. SO great was her hunger
for the needed food.
She always tired quickly some
times she would feel so irked with
life thai she wished she might die.
Yet the will to stand up TO life
and to be well is carrying her for
ward with new access OF
strength. Her cheerfulness is in
fectious. Her talk is inspiring. Her
bearing gives courage to those who
see her.
Dejerine, the eminent French
psyChotherapist, emphasizes the
point that if the sufferer from So
called nervous symptoms wishes to
be well he must bend all his will
and energy to the purpose of get
ting well The principle applies
also when there is definite organic
disease
Robert Louis Stevenson wrote
once in a letter that for ID years
he had not had a day of real
health: he had wakened sick and
gone to bed weary. Yet he had
worked on unflinchingly, writing
when torn by coughing, writing in
the midst of hcmmorrhages writing
when his head swan from weak
ness.
But. said Stevenson in his fine
way at the end of the passage, i'll
or we'll is a trifle so long as one
keeps up the battle That is an
inspiring thought Il store up in
lie m.nd s.id live With.