"Should the body sue the mind before a court of judicature, for damages,
it would be found that the mind would prove to have been a ruinous
tenant to its landlord."--_Plutarch_.
[We abridge these interesting facts from "An Inquiry into the Influence
of the Mind and Passions on the Body, in the production of Disease"--in
No. 11 of the _London Medical and Surgical Journal_.[1] The whole
paper is written in as clear, concise, and popular a style as the
subject will allow, and its importance demands the attention of the
reader; although we have not thought it to our purpose to follow the
writer to the main object--or how these causes operate in the
_production of disease_.]
Descartes observes, that the soul is so much influenced by the
constitution of our bodily organs, that if it were possible to find out
a method of increasing our penetration, it should certainly be sought
for in medicine, the connexion between the body and mind, is, in fact,
so strong, that it is difficult to conceive how one of them should act,
and the other not be sensible, in a greater or less degree, of that
action. The organs of sense, by which we acquire all our ideas of
external objects, when acted upon, convey the subject of thought to the
nervous fibres of the brain; and while the mind is employed in thinking,
the part of the brain is in a greater or less degree of motion; a large
quantity of blood is transmitted to the brain, the action of the
arteries become increased, and the nervous system sensibly affected.
Plato has remarked, with reference to the influence of the mind on the
corporeal frame, "Where the action of the soul is too powerful, it
attacks the body so powerfully that it throws it into a consuming state;
if the soul exerts itself in a peculiar manner on certain occasions, the
body is made sensible of it, for it becomes heated and debilitated." An
Italian physician also observes on this subject, that the union of the
soul with the body is so intimate, that they reciprocally share the good
or evil which happens to either of them. The mind cannot put forth its
powers when the body is tired with inordinate exercise and too close
application to study destroys the body by dissipating the animal spirits
which are necessary to recruit it.[2]
The knowledge of the influence of the passions of the mind over the
bodily functions, is of ancient date. Plato, in his "_Timaeus_,"
states it as his firm conviction, that the spirit exerted a marked
influence in producing disease. This opinion was afterwards revived by
Helmont, Hesper Doloeus, and Stahl; the latter plainly says, that the
rational soul presides over and directs the animal functions. In this
doctrine he was followed by Nichols, in his "_Anima Medica_."
According to the doctrines of Stahl, the disorders of the body proceed
principally from the mind; and, according as it is variously affected,
it produces different effects (diseases.) Hence, when the mind, which
animates the most robust and best organized body, is violently agitated
by fright, rage, grief, vehement desire, or any other passion, whether
sudden, or attended by long and painful sensations, the body manifestly
suffers, and a variety of diseases, as apoplexy, palsy, madness, fever,
and hysterics, may be the consequence. If this be true, an attention to
the regulations of the mind is of much more importance than physicians
seem disposed to admit. The poet of health justly says,
"'Tis the great art of life to manage well
The restless mind."
In the course of this vitally important and deeply-interesting subject
of inquiry, it is not my intention to enter into any metaphysical
discussion respecting the inscrutable and mysterious union existing
between matter and mind, or to endeavour to point out the manner in
which the body influences the mind, and the mind the body. Such subjects
we do not think to be legitimate objects of inquiry. The medical
philosopher is engaged in less obscure and less uncertain researches; he
does not attempt to solve the question regarding the intimate union
subsisting between the natural and intellectual portions of our nature,
but he wisely confines himself to an attentive examination of the
phenomena which result from that union. Man is compounded of a soul and
body, so closely united, not _identified,_ that they frequently
struggle and occasionally overpower each other. Sometimes the mind
ascends the throne and subdues, in a moment, the physical energies of
the most powerful of her subjects. At other times the body gains the
ascendency, and lays prostrate before her the mightiest of human
intellects. Instances illustrative of both propositions are of daily
occurrence. It has been said of Sophocles, that being desirous of
proving that at an advanced age he was in full possession of his
intellectual faculties, he composed a tragedy, was crowned, and died
through joy. The same thing happened to Philippides, the comic writer.
M. Juventius Thalma, on being told that a triumph had been decreed to
him for having subdued Corsica, fell down dead before the altar at which
he was offering up his thanksgiving. Zimmerman, in his work on
Experience in Physic, has related the circumstance of a worthy family in
Holland being reduced to indigence; the elder brother passed over to the
East Indies, acquired considerable fortune there, and returning home
presented his sister with the richest jewel: the young woman, at this
unexpected change of fortune became motionless and died. The famous
Forquet died on being told that Louis XIV. had restored him to his
liberty. It is also related of Diodorus Chronos, who was considered as
the most subtle logician of the time of Ptolemy Soter, that Stilbo one
day in the presence of the king, proposed a question to him, to which he
was unable to reply. The king, willing to cover him with shame,
pronounced only one part of his name, and called him _ovos_, ass,
instead of Chronos. Diodorus was so much affected at this as to die soon
afterwards.
Perhaps there is not a more remarkable instance on record showing, in a
melancholy though forcible light, the dominion of mind over the material
frame, than the circumstances which attended the death of John Hunter.
This distinguished surgeon and physiologist died in a fit of enraged
passion; and, what is somewhat extraordinary, he had often predicted
that such excitement would prove fatal to him. He died at St. George's
Hospital, Oct. 16, 1793, under these circumstances: being there in the
exercise of his official duty as surgeon, he had a warm dispute with Dr.
Pearson, on a professional subject; upon which he said, "I must retire,
for I feel an agitation which will be fatal to me if I increase it." He
immediately withdrew into an adjoining room; but Dr. Pearson, not being
willing to give up his argument, followed him, which so annoyed Hunter,
that he vehemently exclaimed, "You have followed me on purpose to be
the death of me! You have murdered me!" and instantly fell and expired!
Mrs. Byron, the mother of the noble bard, is said to have died in a fit
of passion. Mr. Moore, in his life of Lord Byron, in speaking of Mrs.
Byron's illness, says,--"At the end of July her illness took a new and
fatal turn; and so sadly characteristic was the close of the poor lady's
life, that a fit of ague, brought on, it is said, by reading the
upholsterer's bills, was the ultimate cause of her death." A somewhat
similar circumstance is recorded of Malbranche. The only interview that
Bishop Berkley and Malbranche had was in the latter philosopher's cell,
when the conversation turned upon the non-existence of matter, and
Malbranche is said to have exerted himself so much in the discussion
that he died in consequence. Sanctorius relates an instance of a famous
orator, who so far exerted his mind in delivering an oration that he
became, in a few hours, quite insane.
The effect of a too close application of mind to study on the bodily
health has long been a matter of common observation. The Roman orator,
Cicero, points out forcibly the dangers arising from inordinate exertion
of mind; and he has laid down some rules for guarding against the
effects of study. M. Van Swieten, in alluding to this subject, relates
the case of a man whose health was severely injured, by what he calls
"literary watchings." Whenever he listened with any attention to any
story, or trifling tale, he was seized with giddiness; he was in violent
agonies whenever he wanted to recollect any thing which had slipped his
memory; he oftentimes fainted away gradually, and experienced a
disagreeable sensation of lassitude. Rousseau has very justly remarked,
that excessive application of mind "makes men tender, weakens their
constitutions, and when once the body has lost its powers, those of the
soul are not easily preserved. Application wears out the machine,
exhausts the spirits, destroys the strength, enervates the mind, makes
us pusillanimous, unable either to bear fatigue, or to keep our passions
under."[3]
Shakspeare appears to have formed a just conception of the great injury
which the corporeal frame experiences from a too close application of
mind. The immortal bard observes,--
"----Universal plodding poisons up
The nimble spirits in the arteries
As motion and long-during action tires
The sinewy vigour of the traveller."
_Love's Labour Lost._
In the consultations of Wesper we find related the history of a young
man of family 22 years of age, who, having applied himself incessantly
to intense mental exertion, was seized with a fit of insanity, in which
fit he wounded several persons and killed his keeper. Catalepsy has been
known to have been produced by great mental application. Fomelius gives
us a remarkable instance of it. A man (says he) who passed whole nights
in writing and studying, was suddenly attacked with a fit of catalepsy:
all his limbs stiffened in the attitude he was in when the disease first
seized him. He remained upon his seat, holding the pen in his hand, and
with his eyes fixed on his paper, so that he was considered to be still
at his studies, till being called to, and then shaken, he was found to
be without motion or sensation.[4]
Many extraordinary instances are on record, of remarkable changes having
been produced in birds by an affection of the animal passions. The
following fact is related by Mr. Young, in the Edinburgh Geographical
Journal. A blackbird had been frightened in her cage by a cat; when it
was relieved, it was found lying on its back, quite wet with
perspiration. The feathers fell off, and were renewed, but the new ones
were perfectly white.
A similar phenomenon has been observed in the human species, who have
been exposed to the effects of inordinate passion. Borrelli relates the
case of a French gentleman, who was thrown into prison, and on whom fear
operated so powerfully as to change his hair completely grey in the
course of one night. Dr. Darwin ascribes this phenomenon to the torpor
of the vessels, which circulates the fluids destined to nourish the
hair. Nothing will, perhaps, demonstrate more fully the effects of moral
causes in producing disease than the structural alterations discoverable
in the bodies of those who have died whilst labouring under nostalgia,
or the Swiss malady. This disease is considered peculiar to the Swiss,
and is occasioned by a desire of revisiting their own country, and of
witnessing again the scenes of their youth. This desire begins with
melancholy sadness, love of solitude, silence, bodily weakness, &c. and
is only cured by returning to their native country. Avenbrugger says,
that in dissecting the bodies of those who have died in consequence of
this disease, organic lesions of the heart generally are detected.
A particular musical composition, supposed to be expressive of the
happiness of the people, is in great vogue in Switzerland. If this tune
or piece of music is played among the Swiss in any foreign country, it
tends strongly to recall their affections for their native soil, and
their desire of returning, and to induce the desire called nostalgia
consequent on their disappointment. The effects of this musical
composition is so powerful, that it is forbidden to be repeated in the
French camp on pain of death, it having at one period had the effect of
producing a mutiny among the Swiss soldiers, at that time in the employ
of the French king.
Predictions of death, whether supposed to be supernatural, or emanating
from human authority, have often, in consequence of the poisonous
effects of fear, been punctually fulfilled. The anecdote is well
attested, of the licentious Lord Littleton, that he expired at the exact
stroke of the clock, which in a dream or vision, he had been forewarned
would be the signal of his departure. In Lesanky's voyage round the
world, there is an account of a religious sect in the Sandwich Islands,
who arrogate to themselves the power of praying people to death. Whoever
incurs their displeasure, receives notice that the homicide litany is
about to begin, and such are the effects of the imagination, that the
very notice is frequently sufficient with these people to produce the
effect.
Thousands of other instances might be cited, illustrative of the fatal
effects of inordinate indulgence in passion.
[1] A cleverly conducted work containing more popular information
on Medicine, Surgery, and what are termed the collateral sciences,
than we are accustomed to find in a "professional" journal.
[2] Rammazini.
[3] Preface de Narcisse Oeuvres, Diverses, t. l. v. 172.
[4] Pathol. lib. 3. cap. 2. Oper. Omm. p. 406.
* * * * *