Observations placeholder

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.,

CHAPTER XVI. INFLUENCE OF MENTAL STATES UPON DISORDERS OF SENSATION, MOTION, AND THE ORGANIC FUNCTIONS.
SECTION I. — Influence of Mental States upon Disorders of Sensation.

"Many years ago," says Mr. Skey, "when I was less familiar with hysteric affections, I attended the case of a young lady of nineteen (suffering from a painful affection of the knee) in conjunction with Mr. Stanley. We both deemed the disease to belong to the class of inflammation, and conjointly adopted the usual remedies so indiscriminately resorted to in all painful affections of the joints. Many weeks elapsed without improvement, and I remember that we discussed with some anxiety the probable issue in abscess, destruction of ligaments, absorption of cartilage, and ultimate amputation of the limb !

One day my patient informed me that her sister was going to be married, and that, cost what it might, she had made up her mind to attend the wedding. At this proposal I shuddered.

Having expatiated to no purpose on the probable consequences of so rash an act, with all the force of language I could command, I determined to give stability to the joint for the occasion, and I strapped it up firmly with adhesive plaster. On the following day I visited her. She told me she had stood throughout the whole ceremony, had joined the party at the breakfast, and had returned home without pain or discomfort in the joint. Within a week her recovery may be said to have been complete" (Medical Times and Gazette, September 22d, 1866).