Article May 16, 1908 Issue

To one who has become aware of the danger that is...

H. M. Emery—St. John, Quebec.

The News and Advocate

To one who has become aware of the danger that is incurred when mortal mind fears are aroused and allowed to hold ungoverned sway in the public mind, it seems a sad and bitter thing to contemplate that the more exalted the personage who falls a victim to accident or disease, the more useful or beloved, so much the more serious is the weight of those concentrated fears upon the unconscious sufferer. I say unconscious because the patient knows least of all the direful effect of all this solicitude. He may even cater to it, in the pitiful attempt to be grateful and appreciative of sympathy, but better far that the public and many intimate friends were kept in ignorance of the ailments, ofttimes trifling in the beginning, that may assail our friends, whether of high or low degree.

A distinguished physician of one of the large cities of the United States has called attention to this important fact, and his scholarly articles have been widely read and favorably commented upon, but of course, like all innovations upon time-honored customs, it will require the "precept upon precept; line upon line" to arouse the thought of those who are now submitting to this erroneous condition of affairs. The writer, however, calls attention to the fact that this custom of sending out daily and hourly bulletins, giving all the momentary fluctuations of pulse and temperature, is not even time-honored, as we count time regarding other customs, for it is only since the telegraph and telephone came into such close touch with the great news offices through the "Associated Press," that the custom has been carried to such an extent. It was the opinion of this eminent physician that many public men of high renown have been dragged down to premature graves in the last score of years by the weight of fear and other mental speculation of their friends and the general public.

Is it not enough that the fears and forebodings of the immediate relatives and friends should be allowed to weigh upon the patient, without the weight being immeasurably increased by unnecessarily throwing open the sluiceways of danger? If any one is inclined to doubt that there is truth in this comparatively new idea, let him ask his family physician why it is that in all ordinary cases of disease physicians and nurses are careful to speak hopefully and appear cheerful and at ease when in the presence of their patients. They know well that even their seeming attitude has to do with the mind of the patient, and they know equally well that the mind of the patient has much to do with the body—much more, in fact, than they think it wise to admit or explain.

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