Observations placeholder
Hack Tuke, Daniel – Sickness - Deafness induced by powerful emotions – fright
Identifier
026060
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
As described in Illustrations Of The Influence Of The Mind Upon The Body In Health And Disease, Designed To Elucidate The Action Of The Imagination - Daniel Hack Tuke, M.D., M.R.C.P.,
PART II. THE EMOTIONS.
CHAPTER VII. INFLUENCE OF THE EMOTIONS UPON SENSATION.
In the following case, deafness was caused by fright. It is given by Sir Astley Cooper and quoted by Pettigrew (p. 99): "A child, ten years of age, who wanted to write her exercise and to scrape her slate-pencil, went into the school in the dark to fetch her knife, when one of her schoolfellows burst from behind the door to frighten her. She was much terrified, and her head ached. On the following day she became deaf, and on the next, so much so as not to hear the loudest talking. Sir Astley saw her three months after this had happened, and she continued in this deplorable state of deafness."
(On Superstitions connected with the History and Practice of Medicine and Surgery. By T. J. Pettigrew, F.R S. 1844, p. 101).