The question now naturally arises, is it possible for hysterical or hypochondriac persons to bring on permanent structural disease of the heart by a morbid concentration of the mind on it?
It is the opinion of most medical writers that it is not probable such a result would occur. They admit, however, that it would be likely to aggravate any previous mischief and induce irregular action, and ultimately hypertrophy, or some other disease decidedly organic. The physician should, therefore, in treating such patients, exercise his influence and ingenuity to divert their minds from the heart to some other subject or organ.
Numerous interesting cases are recorded showing the specific effects of the intellect over the heart’s action, as one of a medical student being initiated into the rites of a Masonic society; his eyes were bandaged, a ligature bound around his arm, and the usual preparations made for bleeding. A pretence of opening the vein was made, and a stream of water spurted in a bowl to represent the sound of the flowing blood expected. As a result the student soon became pale and fainted.
Then there is the well-known case of the man being bled by the prick of a pin and warm water running down his arm, who actually died as a result.
The daughter of Sir Charles Lee, at 2 o’clock on a certain morning, saw between the curtains of her bed a little old woman, who told her that at 12 o’clock the next day she would be with her in the next world. She immediately dressed herself very carefully, went into her private closet, and did not come out till 9 o’clock, when she went to her aunt, handed her a letter directed to her father with the request it be sent to him immediately on her death, telling her aunt about the apparition. A physician and a surgeon were sent for, but could discover no disease, but on the urgent solicitation of the aunt bled her slightly. She then took a chair and played on her guitar and sang some favorite pieces, and a few minutes before 12 went to a large arm-chair, sat in it, and at 12 raised her hand toward her heart and was dead.
Another case of a young lady who received a similar warning, only it came a year before the appointed time. She became anaemic, lost flesh and strength; nothing could apparently be done to save life, although no organic or structural disease could be found by the closest examination by skilful physicians. The day before the time set for her death a young physician who had some tact gave her a very heavy anodyne, and she slept under its influence during the entire day of her expected death. When she returned to consciousness the next day, and was making a few final preparations, she was assured that the time had passed for her to die and that the oracle knew nothing of such matters and was andimpostor. She got up from her bed and rapidly regained both flesh and strength.
To be sure these are isolated and exceptional cases, and may by many be accounted for on influences other than intellectual, but in them we cannot help seeing a result comparing with the natural reasoning and with ideas firmly fixed in the minds of the individuals.
THE WILL.
Dr. Tuke says: “The direct action of the will upon the heart and nonstriated muscles, if it can ever be exerted, is altogether exceptional, although it may powerfully inlfuence them indirectly by directing the course of the emotions and ideas to them, and i this way it may, and probably does, affect the organic functions.”
A distinguished Fellow of the Royal Society (aet. 79) told him that he could by voluntary effort, increase the frequency of his pulse from ten to twenty beats per minute. At the Doctor’s request the experiment was made. When he sat down his pulse was sixty-two; in the course of about two minutes it increased to eight-two. On being requested to describe the manner of accelerating it, he said it seemed to be partly due to “a sort of impulse,” partly to an internal shiver, and partly to an action on the breathing.
The increase in respiration was not apparent.
It may be that the will did not act directly on the muscular tissue of the heart, but indirectly by concentrating the attention on that particular object, on that particular organ.
The case of Colonel Townsend, in which it is said he possessed the remarkable faculty of throwing himself into a trance at pleasure. The heart ceased apparently to throb at his bidding, respiration seemed at an end, his whole frame assumed the icy rigidity of death, while his face became colorless and shrunk, and his eyes fixed, glazed, and ghastly. He would remain in this state for hours, entirely unconscious, when the signs of life would gradually reappear.
Dr. Darwin says: “There is an instance in the Philosophical Transactions, of a man who could for a time stop the motion of his heart when he pleased.”
THE EMOTIONS.
The heart may be so affected by the emotions, through the nervous supplying i t, as to produce violent contractions tonic spasms of the organ. This occurring in such a vital organ must of necessity cause death.
It is difficult to decide whether this results from muscular irritability, is caused by the withdrawing of an antagonistic nerve force, or from the direct action of nerve-force upon the muscles; but it is evident that, in cases of death like Hunter’s, a condition of spasmodic contraction of the walls of the heart is produced. Let me refer to the record of his death and post- mortem.
The governors of St. George’s Hospital decided that no person should be admitted as a student without bringing certificates of being educated in the profession.
Hunter advocated, at the board, the admission of two young men inadmissible under the new rule. His biographer, Mr. Palmer, states that, before the meeting, he expressed his apprehensions to a friend, “lest some unpleasant dispute might occur, and his conviction that, if it did, it would certainly prove fatal to him.” Arrived at the hospital he found the board already assembled, and entering the room, presented the memorial of the young men, and proceeded to urge the propriety of their being admitted. In the course of his remarks he made some observations which one of his colleagues thought it necessary instantly and flatly to contradict. Hunter immediately ceased speaking, retired from the table, and struggling to suppress the tumult of his passion, hurried into the adjoining room, which he had scarcely reached when, with a deep groan, he fell lifeless into the arms of Dr. Robertson, one of the physicians of the hospital, who chanced to be present. Various attempts were made for upward of an hour to restore animation, under the hope that the attack might prove to be a fainting fit, such as he had before experienced, but in vain; life had fled and all their efforts proved useless. The post-mortem showed the heart to be badly diseased; it was small, appeared to have wasted, and was strongly contracted. The viscera of the abdomen and head were loaded with blood.
As in such cases death seems to be caused by the severe and persistent spasms or contraction of the heart, it seems to me that the opposite condition of dilatation may also occur from emotional excitement. The organ would, in that case, cease to contract on its contents and become powerless, and death ensue. We see this in voluntary muscles and from emotional causes, as in the hand. In one cases it will be rigidly contracted, in another paralyzed, the only difference in result being that the heart is a vital organ, the hand is not.
Senac gives a case of a person who was witness to a shipwreck, and became so affected by the distress around him and terror that palpitation of the heart was succeeded by suppressed breathing, syncope and death. Upon examination the heart was found enlarged.
Bonnet, Morgagni, Tissot and others assert that dilatation of the heart has been caused by chagrin and anger.
Dr. Richardson says: “I have never met with a case of intermittent pulse in which the disorder was not sequential to some anxiety, shock, fear, sorrow, or their similars.”
From statistics we learn that in the last twenty years deaths from heart disease have increased about twenty-five per cent., and the percentage of the increase is entirely confined to men, and to those between the ages of 21 and 45, which is the time they are subject to the most trying emotional causes.
It is not an uncommon occurrence to meet with syncope produced by emotional excitement, and in the case of a perfectly healthy heart we can readily understand why nothing more serious should supervene, and I think it equally clear that it should succumb when it is already diseased, and of course has less power of resistance.
Here again we find that exactly similar results are produced by the opposite emotions of joy and fear.
Lord Eglinton informed John Hunter “that when two soldiers were condemned to be shot, and one of them to receive a pardon, the event being decided by their throwing dice, the one who proved successful thus securing a retrieve usually fainted, while the other remained calm.”
Hale wrote Lectures On Diseases Of The Heart, Materia medica and special therapeutics of the new remedies Volume 1, Materia Medica And Special Therapeutics Of The New Remedies Volume 2, Saw Palmetto: (Sabal Serrulata. Serenoa Serrulata), The Medical, Surgical, and Hygienic Treatment of Diseases of Women, New Remedies: Their Pathogenetic Effects and Therapeutic Application, Ilex Cassine : the aboriginal North American tea, Repertory to the New Remedies with Charles Porter Hart, The Characteristics of the New Remedies, Materia Medica and Special Therapeutics of the New Remedies, The Practice of Medicine, Homoeopathic Materia Medica of the New Remedies: Their Botanical Description etc.