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Otago Daily Times, Issue 18514, 27 March 1922, Page 6

An amusing, but “true,” story on the power of imagination was related by Professor E. Mayo, of the Brisbane University, when discussing the psychology of middle ago at a luncheon held by the Victorian Institute of Advertising Men in Melbourne recently. In Brisbane once, said Professor Mayo, a middle-aged man visited a dentist to have a tooth extracted. After some discussion, they both agreed that the tooth should be extracted. Then began a lengthy discussion as to the method by which the tooth should be tackled. The client favoured cocaine injection—a friend of his hud had cocaine, and it had been successful. The dentist disapproved of this method. When asked why he rather unwisely told his client that certain people were apt to contract cocaine poisoning from such an operation. He then exhaustively explained the symptoms of cocaine poisoning. But the client persisted. The dentist, to assure the client that the operation would not hurt, placed the hypodermic needle, f|;ee from cocaine, in the gum. The patient immediately collapsed, and acquired all Iho symptoms of cocaine poisoning. It took the dentist an hour to bring the patient round, and send him to a doctor. Later the doctor advised the dentist to use gas instead of cocaine. The dentist agreed on condition that the doctor would administer the gas. Being unacquainted with the gas machine, the doctor had its workings explained to him. He applied the mask to the imaginative patient, who immediately fell into a deep sleep.. ’ The dentist successfully extracted the tooth. “Well, that’s over, thank goodness,” exclaimed (he doctor, as he removed the mask. “Yes,” replied the dentist, “even though you forgot to turn the gas on 1” Between the Armistice and tho end of the present, financial year, the British ( 1 overnment "ill have spent about £331,000,000 on pensions, allowances, etc., for disabled service men and tho dependents of those who foil.