ARTHRITIS STUDY
Cause Believed To Be Psychological (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) TORONTO. June 24. Two United States doctors today advanced a theory that crippling rheumatoid arthritis mev be ’inked to psychological disturbances. Dr. Sanford Gifford and Dr. Theodore B. Eayles, both of Boston. Massachusetts, reported the results of a psvchological study of 95 arthritic patients to the ninth international congress on rheumatic diseases, which opened here last night. “The similarities between rheumatoid arthritis and other psychosomatic (mentally caused) disorders are more important than any differences that can be demonstrated.” s they said. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most widespread and crippling of the more than 100 rheumatic diseases to be considered bv the 1000 delegates to the week-long congress. Dr. Gifford and Dr. Bayles found a pattern of parent domination usually bv the mother, among their patients. “Patients with arthritis emphasise their mother’s strength and control.” thev reported.
“Often the mother has difficulty in permitting the child to leave home or to marry.” Many patients felt guilty and believed that arthritis was selfinflicted punishment for past errors. Others were attempting to compensate for the loss of a loved one.
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Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28314, 27 June 1957, Page 20
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187ARTHRITIS STUDY Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28314, 27 June 1957, Page 20
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