Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-07-27
ADMINISTRATORS Person
Often Suffers Headaches
Mental Conflicts Are Frequent Cause,
Symposium at St. Elizabeths Finds
By Thomas X. Henry

BY Thomas r. Henry
There is headache personality"
Severe and frequent headaches without
any demonstrabe physical causes and pre-
sumably due entirely to mental conflicts are
particularly likely in the anxious -to-please
type of individual.
This was stressed in a headache sympo-
SUM at ST. Elizabeths Hospital here
Certainly, the st. Elizabeths' psychiatr ists
agreed, there are many physical causes for
headaches. some of which are not yet UNI
derstood by physicians. But, it was con-
cluded. by far the greatest number observed
clinically are not of physical origin or
character"
Victim Is Really Sick.
Most frequent. the report of the sympo-
SUM states. are the headaches of conven-
fence. They are convenient excuses for
escaping disagreeabe duty without Offend
ing anybody. This does not mean, it was
stressed. that they are faxed. The victim
really is sick even if the sickness exists
only in the mind
Headaches in children, according to the
report. often come with severe restrictions
on play. or the imposition of tasks beyond
the childs ability. Lack of self-confidence
also is a frequent cause.
About 20 per cent of all neurotic patients
These are. however, seldom the leading
complaint.
Headache" is is concluded, may ex-
press symbolically prolonged worries that
are we'll grounded in reality and that are
progressing towards a dangerous climax,
such as threat to ones economic security
or to possible loss of prestige. 1t may re-
suit from torturesome guilt feelings. Self
punishment is fairly common ground for
the symptom"
In five years the rate of murine typhus
in the United States has been reduced
about 80 per cent.
This deadly disease, which is spread by
rat feas rather than by human body lice.
has been brought under control by DOT
busting in a cooperative project between
the United States Public Health Service and
the health departments of nine States.
The work was partially supported by Federal
funds. The malady has been a serious
problem in North and South Carolina.
Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mis-
sissippi Louisiana and Texas.
In 1914 there were 5,401 cases Of murine
typhus in those States. That year the Pub
lie Health Service started its experiments
in the control of rat fleas by DOT busting
of rat runs in buildings. Results indicated
that with single application the number of
feas could be reduced as much as 80 per
cent and kept at that low level for about
three months.
What Sampling Tests Show.
The next year the State health depart
ments took up the work In 1916 the num-
Der of cases reported had been reduced to
1886 and the next year there was decline
to 1904, a reduction of about 81 per cent.
Reports for the present year indicate that
there will be little more than 1000 cases.
At the time the work was started the
incidence of the disease was increasing
rapidly 1t had more than doubled be-
tween 1910 and 1914
The reduction is not alone in the number
Of rat feas which carry the disease. The
prevalence Of the virus in rats themselves
is steadily on the decline, sampling tests
show.