THE HOME.

White Ribbon, Volume 5, Issue 54, 1 December 1899, Page 11

THE HOME.

In a very interesting article on “ The Influence of Fear in Disease ” Dr William H. Halcomb says, “ The mind of man is constantly at work, silently pervading every tissue of his body by its vital influence, repeating itself in every function, throbbing in the heart, breathing in the lungs, reflecting itself in the blood, weaving its own form into every act of nutrition, realising its own life in every sensation and working its own will in every motion.

“ When a limb is broken, the bones shattered, the flesh torn, the blood-ves-sels severed, the nerves lacerated, what can the surgeon or doctor do to repair the injury ? A little outside mechanical work. He ligates, he stiches, he plasters, he fixes the parts in apparatus so that they will remain motionless in the natural position. He can do no more. The soul which creates the body and keeps it in health, repairs it when injured. By her own occult forces she regulates the movement of the blood and the development of nerve power, the chemical decomposition and re- combination, going on in every tissue, according to ideas and models implanted

upon her by the Divine Mind, the OverSoul of the Universe.” “The most extensive of all the morbid mental conditions which reflect themselves so disastrously on the human system, is the state of fear.” The doctor draws a picture of a sick room in charge of physician and nurse who "are ignorant of this fear influence. “ The room is darkened,” he says, “for they are afraid of the light, that emblem of God’s wisdom which should shine into all rooms, except when it is disagreeable to the patient. The ventilation is in. sufficient, for draughts, you know, are very dangerous. The friends have doleful faces, moist eyes, sad voices which reveal danger and doubt, and they converse in subdued whispers, which alarm and annoy the patient. The nurse and the doctor sometimes talk of their cases before the sick man, tell how very ill they were, how they suffered, how they got well miraculously,or how they died. I'he sympathetic visitor regales his or her hearers, the patient included, with his or her knowledge of similar cases, and their results, the great amount of sickness prevailing, and the success or ill-success of this or that doctor. They all agree that it is dangerous to change the patient’s linen, dangerous to sponge the body, dangerous to give him cold water; milk is feverish, meat is too strong. A shadow of fear seems to hang over everybody. The pulse is counted, the temperature is taken Nurse or nearest friend wants to know aloud the report of the watch and therm jmeter. The doctor answers aloud, ar.d all look grave. And so it goes on day after day, thoughts and images of pain, and sickness, and danger, and death, being impressed and reflected upon the mind of the patient, and the great, sound, glorious, spirit within finds it impossible to break through this dense atmospheie of ma-

terial superstitions, fear, ignorance, and folly, and restore its own body to health and happiness.

“ The true sanitarian will remember in his treatment the tremendous power of words and ideas upon the sick. He will never indicate by his language, his looks, or his conduct that he thinks the patient is very ill. He will cleanse his own mind of morbid fears and apprehensions, and reflect the stimulating light of h >pe on all around him. The suppression of anxiety, and even sometimes of sympathy is necessary. His sickness should not be discussed before the patient, or any other case of sickness alluded to. The doctor’s opinion of the case should never be asked and never given within the patient s hearing. Erase as far as possible, all thoughts of disease, danger or death. The sickroom should not be darkened and made silent. It should be made cheerful and natural, as if no sickness existed. It should have fresh air, and cool water, and the fragrance of flowers, instead of the odour of drugs. Hope, and not fear, should be the presiding genius of the place.” •

“ Perfect love casteth out fear,” the perfect love of God and the neighbour. He who is in bondage to the senses has everything to dread. He alone is free from all apprehensions whose heart and mind are stayed upon the living God. He truly “ sits under his own vine and fig-tree, with none to make him afraid.”