Observations placeholder
Hack Tuke, Daniel – Healing - Tuberculosis cured by powerful emotions of fear
Identifier
026190
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.,
CHAPTER XVI. INFLUENCE OF MENTAL STATES UPON DISORDERS OF SENSATION, MOTION, AND THE ORGANIC FUNCTIONS.
SECTION III. — Influence of Mental States upon Disorders involving- the Involuntary Muscles and the Organic Functions.
Tissot cites from Mead the case of a young woman, aged 28, who laboured under all the symptoms of confirmed phthisis, and was threatened with death, when exaggerated fear about the state of her soul began to torment her. Alarm, increased by the discourse and exhortations of friends, perhaps more pious than enlightened, threw her into a state of religious insanity. The consequence, as respects the bodily condition, was that the hectic fever, the expectoration, the sweats, the emaciation and other unfavourable symptoms disappeared, and led to the hope of cure.
But the form of the mental affection having changed to simple melancholy, the hectic returned, the pulmonary disease progressed, and the patient died in the last stage of consumption ((Annales Medico-Psychologiques. Edited by Baillarger, Cerise, et Longet, Sept., 1867, p. 167)..).