It is generally recognized that worry interferes with the normal functioning of the various organs of the body. Every cell is influenced by the condition of the mind. Many of the diseases afflicting mankind may have their origin wholly in the mind. All diseases are influenced by mental conditions. Music, or anything else that produces even temporarily a merry heart, may do good like a medicine, since it leads to forgetfulness of cares, anxieties, and worries. Possibly this is one of the reasons why there is music in the dining rooms of the large hotels and restaurants, which are entered by businessmen who are desirous of throwing off their worries for a short period.
Very frequently in medical practice we find that attention must be given to the mind in order to make possible the healing of the body. "Son, be of good cheer"; "Daughter, be of good comfort"; "Fear not, little flock," are admonitions which have to be followed by some in order to make possible the healing of the body. The gospel brings good news. It is, in fact, frequently the real remedy for mental disturbances, There are a great many substitutes. however. The use of narcotics, such as alcohol or tobacco, may all lead to a forgetfulness of the troubles and worries for the time being, but when the influence of these narcotics wears off, the worries appear in an aggravated form. This is why men seek something stronger and become addicted to certain drugs.
Many are mentally disturbed because of disappointments. Our disappointments are usually due to misinterpretation of God's providences. When Jacob's beloved son was taken from him, he felt that everything was against him. "I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning." "He refused to be comforted." But he lived to see the time when he could see clearly that which he had thought was against him was working in his favor. God had His hand on the lever of circumstances, and was in control.
There are those who are sick only because they think they are sick, who might be well if they could be made to believe they are well. We find here a partial explanation of the cures reported by various healing cults, or worthless remedies which flare up here and there from time to time. Each one of them has results which cannot be denied, and it really seems that the greater the delusion the greater are the results obtained. ,Almost every healing cult or remedy advertised can produce a list of witnesses as to the beneficial results obtained.
A great many digestive disorders are entirely due to errors in diet, but there are also digestive disturbances that can never be cured by diet alone. Some home troubles may be a responsible factor. Fear or the dread of facing an unpleasant task may cause mental depression and reveal itself in a disturbance of the various organs of the body. I have known of patients who were bedridden and unable to walk, who might have been able to get up if they had really believed they could. A tremendous shock, a fire alarm, or faith in some remedy works apparent miracles in such cases.
Several years ago I visited the island of New Zealand. Sir Dr. Pomera, health commissioner of the native territories, told me that the native doctors constituted the greatest menace to his people. The people believed them to possess supernatural power. He said that when one of these doctors visited a sick man he would tell him whether he was going to live or die, and invariably what he said would come to pass. Such faith had these simple natives in their medicine man ! Naturally confidence was increased as results were witnessed. It was difficult to undeceive these innocent natives and persuade them these men were fakes. Cases almost as pronounced may be found among civilized people.
I have had under my own observation some very pronounced cases. I recall one especially. I was called out at midnight to examine a woman who had been in a streetcar accident. I found that she was unable to walk, apparently paralyzed in the lower extremities. The following day various examinations were made which revealed complete paralysis. A severe injury of the spine was naturally suspected, although X-ray examinations revealed that the spine was in perfect alignment. She was under observation and treatment for three months, but no change for the better occurred.
A lawsuit followed. Specialists were employed by the streetcar company to examine the patient. All these specialists declared it was merely shock, similar to a shell shock, and that the patient would shortly walk. I thought these experts employed by the company were biased in their decision. In the courtroom one of these specialists declared that if she received the money she demanded she would shortly be able to walk. But based chiefly on my testimony that there was probably an injury to the spinal cord which the X-ray could not reveal, the jury rendered a decision in her favor. She soon received a payment of $22,500, and in less than two weeks she was able to walk.
I recall another patient who was troubled with paralysis of the muscles of the throat. He had been unable to speak for over six months.
He had consulted the best nerve specialists in America and in Europe before he came to our sanitarium. While at the sanitarium he was under the care of one of my associates about three months. During this time electrical and other treatments were given, but the patient made no headway. He was disappointed and decided to go home. The day before he expected to leave he had a bad spell. My associate rushed to my office, saying, "Dr. Kress, come at once. One of my patients is dying."
I went to him and felt his pulse and noticed symptoms which led me to believe his was purely a nervous condition. I gave him a sharp tap on the face and said, "Stop that." The patient then slowly opened his eyes.
The other doctor took the cue and continued to tap him, saying in an authoritative voice, "Say one!"
The patient responded by saying, "One." "Say two."
The patient said, "Two."
The doctor continued this for a few moments, asking him to repeat sentences. The patient found he was able to talk, and continued to talk from that time forward. This was written up in the local papers as a marvelous cure brought about at the sanitarium. It related how the patient had been unable to utter a word for nine months, and had sought relief of the best medical skill, but not until he reached the famous sanitarium was he cured. No one who read the account in the paper knew how the cure was brought about. It was not due to the skill of any physician, nor was it due to the treatment administered, although these undoubtedly helped to build up his general health during his three months' stay at the sanitarium.
Taking advantage of some of these depraved mental states, various cults obtain results which appear to be almost miraculous. But we certainly are in danger of deception if we base our decision of whether the cure is of God. Or of the devil on the results. Faith in anything, good or bad, may bring beneficial results. Marvelous cures have been brought about through autosuggestion. No system of healing can therefore be judged by the results that may be witnessed. The origin of the system may be from above, or it may be from beneath.
