When the famous surgeon Vesalius was dissecting a woman, he discovered that her heart was still feebly beating. He was so overcome by mental distress at his discovery that he suddenly dropped dead. Other instances, also showing that strong emotions of the mind are able to kill people, are known, and history also tells us of the case of Louis of Bourbon who dropped dead from fright at witnessing the exhumation of his father’s bones. Not only can severe emotions caused by fear or grief, but pleasing ones, when they exceed a certain limit, are also able to produce instantaneous death. Thus it is said that when Leibnitz’s niece found a large amount of gold under the bed of the famous philosopher, after his death, she had such a powerful emotion of joy that she fell dead. The same sudden end was the fate of Sophocles when he heard that one of his tragedies had been awarded the highest prize.
Death is happily rather rare under such circumstances; but diseases of a serious kind, especially diabetes, can be caused frequently from strong mental emotions of a depressing nature. We have published two cases of young women who suddenly contracted severe diabetes after a fright, while previously there had been no symptoms of such; and in a third case glycosuria was increased very considerably. This last case was one of mild diabetes; the sugar increased to a very great extent the day following the intelligence that he had lost half his fortune through a coal mine accident. Professor Naunyn, in his book on diabetes, after quoting our own observations, also states the interesting fact that after the bombardment of Strassburg in the war of 1870, many cases of diabetes developed in consequence of the fear and anxiety brought about by it.
Strong emotions of the mind thus tend to shorten existence by their fatal action on several of the most important organs, such as the heart, and in particular the ductless glands: the adrenals, thyroid, pituitary, pancreas, liver, kidneys, and the sexual glands. These are governed by the sympathetic and vagus, and mental emotions, by acting on these nerves, produce alterations in these important glands.
By acting on the adrenals mental emotions produce higher blood-pressure, in consequence of the toxic action of the increased adrenal secretion, and thus favor the development of diseases of the heart and circulatory system, especially arteriosclerosis, which so very frequently shortens life (see also Chapter XVI).
That mental emotions act upon the thyroid is shown by the alteration of this gland in consequence, which can sometimes go so far that often Graves’s disease (hyperthyroidia) has been observed, at times shortly, and at other times suddenly, after the mental shock. The hyperactivity of the thyroid may eventually be followed by its exhaustion; and so it happens that as one of the causes of myxœdema mental depression is often mentioned.
That alterations of the pituitary body after mental emotions can take place, is shown conclusively by the fact that competent authorities, like Professor Pel and many others, have published cases of acromegaly after such a cause. We personally observed a case in which grief from incarceration caused the disease to which also diabetes was added. Sajous has long urged that the pituitary is the sensorium commune, i.e., the central organ upon which all severe emotions react.
It is indeed tragical that diabetes mellitus so frequently attacks those who suffer reverses in their life. Unlike death in the cases above mentioned, it is only brought about in those who have had mental emotion in consequence of disappointment, loss of fortune, and, in some cases, a wife’s infidelity, etc. Thus, not satisfied with bringing misfortunes, Fate adds disease, so that their lives are threatened with being shortened. We shall insist, later on, that this disease, as most diseases generally, only develops in consequence of our own fault or the fault of our forefathers.
The alterations of the pancreas in consequence of mental emotions can be best demonstrated by the frequency of diabetes after such a cause, as just referred to above. Pawlow observed a checking of the pancreatic juice after such an agency.
The action of mental emotions on the sexual glands is shown by the sudden appearance of menstruation. We have recently heard of a young lady who attempted suicide because of disappointment in love; she threw herself into a river, which fortunately was not deep at the moment, and this act caused the sudden return of her menstrual period.
Cases of sudden menstruation after various kinds of mental emotion have often been observed; and in men under similar circumstances impotency is not infrequently noted, though, in most cases, it is only temporary.
The alterations of the liver are shown by jaundice, and of the kidneys by an increased flow of urine in consequence of mental emotions. According to Clifford Allbutt,[342] strong, mental emotions play an important part in the origin in many cases of interstitial nephritis.
It is a well-known fact that persons, after strong mental emotion of a distressing kind, have suddenly turned gray, as is related of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France; and we ourselves have seen a similar case in a young lady, one of our relatives, who in one night had her jet-black hair turned white.
That care, worry, grief, and sorrow are able to bleach the hair, although not so suddenly as above, is generally known; and not only gray hair, but a haggard, worn appearance, and all the other attributes of old age, with changes in the arteries, as is so often the case in old age, have over and over again been attributed to the above causes. It is a well-known fact that premature old age is probably brought about more frequently by the above agencies than by any of the other contributory causes.
Not only premature old age, but also premature death, can be caused by such agencies; for there is no longer any doubt that, in persons with mental depression, resistance against infections and intoxications is reduced, and that such persons are thus at the mercy of the microbes, which are to be found in billions everywhere. On the other hand, we can often observe that a merry disposition may cause long-lasting youth and a very long life. The celebrated English painter, Mr. Frithe, who died quite recently at the age of 92, when asked the reasons for his vigor and robustness used to answer: “No worries, and six cigars a day.” Having seen on the island of Capri an old boatswain of 80 years vigorously handling his oars, we inquired of him the reasons for his robustness and received as his answer: “Sempre allegre” (always merry). This “sempre allegre” should also be our own motto for life, because of its efficacy in warding off old age.
There are some admirable teachings in the Upanishads and Vedanta of the Hindoos: never to seek for riches and fame, and to give up ambition. Indeed this, more than anything else, would assure a perfect tranquillity of the mind, as exemplified by the image of Buddha; but for the future of mankind and the progress of scientific research, a certain amount of ambition is necessary. We think the noblest aim is to do good for its own sake, and not for the sake of honors; but if honors are obtained, to accept them calmly, going on in the usual way; for otherwise it happens, as we so often witness, that too much ambition, with its wear and tear, exposes us to premature disease by arteriosclerosis, the most prevalent disease among men who have reached fame, especially among statesmen, whose honors are, indeed, dearly paid for.
It would lead us too far to enter into particulars as to how the various organs, even the stomach, can possibly, even in a powerful way, influence the conditions of the mind; but we must make an exception in the case of the ductless glands. If the mind influences these, on the other hand they exercise a marvelous action on the mind, as already stated.
Degenerated conditions of the thyroid are always followed by weakening of the mental powers, and they are also able to alter the normal conditions of the mind. As a rule, as we so often see, persons having such are low spirited and possess no will-power or energy. The loss of will-power through extirpation of the thyroid or by its degeneration has been already mentioned in Chapter IV.
People with a weak thyroid, and especially if to this be added a degenerated state of the testicles, or of the ovaries are usually melancholy and despondent. They have exceedingly often what the French call “idées noires”—they are always full of “dark ideas.” In everything they undertake they always foresee a bad issue; and it is not singular that this bad issue very often really comes about, for it is caused with mathematical certainty by their own incapability, absentmindedness, and entire want of foresight. This is another illustration of our theory that most of our want of success and our mishaps, if not all of them, we bring upon ourselves by our own faults. We often notice that such people lack the most elementary rules of foresight, precaution and circumspection. They are horribly absentminded, a fact we have noted especially in old spinsters, who may pass their best friends a dozen times on the street without recognizing them. Such persons may also easily fall victims to accidents, as being run over by a carriage, etc.
The fact that these “dark ideas” are frequent in people with a degenerated thyroid has also been observed by Dr. Leopold Levi, of Paris, and Dr. Baron Henry de Rothschild, who, in their Annals on Children’s Diseases, published by Dr. de Rothschild’s Hospital for Sick Children, give a detailed description of the alterations in the mind in cases of thyroid degeneration. That these dark ideas must be ascribed to degeneration of the thyroid and of the sexual glands, besides the proof from the observations mentioned in Chapter IV, is best shown by the fact that, as we have seen in many cases, they may be much improved and, not infrequently, may disappear through the use of thyroid, testicular, and ovarian extracts. Courage, as was shown in the same chapter, is a quality of the mind which is entirely dependent upon the intact condition of the sexual glands; it is lacking in castrates, and seldom seen in persons with degenerated sexual glands.
These persons are like a reed in the wind, waving backward and forward without any energy; the least untoward event may beat them down. They are pained by circumstances and are always governed by them, whereas a person with a healthy thyroid and healthy testicles, like the heroes sculptured by the Greek artists, who have fire and courage in their eyes, faces all circumstances. Such as these control all circumstances, sometimes even fate, and it is not fate that governs them. Sometimes we feel inclined to think that there is no such thing as fate, at least for such men. They mould their own destiny themselves, and always succeed in pushing on with their iron will.
Will-power is, as repeatedly mentioned, essentially a product of thyroid, and also probably of intact testicular or ovarian, activity. It is always wanting in persons who have been castrated, and is very often absent in those leading a life of sexual debauchery.
According to the above, persons with weak thyroids or weak and degenerated sexual glands are bound to fail in their undertakings, and are thus more exposed to disappointments of all kinds, reverses of fortune, etc.; therefore, such people are the most frequent subjects of mental depression.
Taking into consideration what has been said above, we conclude that the source of disappointment lies, in many cases, if not in most, in our own fault, because of loss of foresight or some slight omission, which, indeed, is so often apt to overthrow all our most beautiful plans. Often it is due to errors of judgment, and frequently also to want of perseverance, the consequence of defective will-power.
We have already shown in Chapter IV, and above, that degeneration of the thyroid and of the sexual glands is always followed by similar alterations of the mind.
If we want rationally to prevent mental depression we must first remove its cause. In many cases it is caused by alterations of mental activity subsequent to changes in different ductless glands, and also in other organs that influence the condition of the mind. Logically, we must improve the functions of these glands if we want to proceed rationally, and then our mental activity will improve, and failures like disappointments may, in all probability, be avoided. We can effect this by means of extracts of certain animal organs.
It has been shown by the celebrated physiologist, Brown-Séquard,[343] by experiments on himself, that testicular extracts were able to improve his mental vigor and enabled him to do a much greater amount of work. We have made similar observations in several cases, especially when at the same time thyroid extracts were used, but also without them. Thus we think that we do not go too far, on the basis of the observations of Brown-Séquard and other authorities, including our own, when we say that, through the improvement of our mental power by therapeutic measures, like organic extracts, we may be able to influence success to a favorable degree, and that everybody is, indeed, as already quoted, “the smith of his own luck,” as the German proverb says; and thus we can protect ourselves against failure, disappointment, and mental depression. We are thus justified in saying that a man with healthy ductless glands in perfect working condition, and thus of perfect mental power, is the man who can face any emergency and, to a certain extent, direct fate at his own pleasure. Such a man can get practically everything he wants, and Napoleon probably was made of such stuff. For such men there are no obstacles in the world.
It is of great importance that not only the glands with internal secretion, but also all the other organs of the body, should be kept in hygienic condition, carrying out the rules laid down in other parts of this book.
It has been shown by noted historians that great men, such as Napoleon, had to blame their downfall indirectly to faulty hygiene—for instance, of the digestive organs. That the condition of the stomach—this too often ill-used organ—influences the mind in a powerful way, is borne out by many interesting examples.
There can be no doubt, however, that there are causes of ill-luck which we cannot avoid, as, for instance, loss of near relatives by death, such as parents or children, or disappointment in nuptial affection or love—although here, to a great extent, omissions, lack of sound judgment, and last, but not least, lack of perseverance can be imputed.
If then, in spite of all our precaution, an accident or death of a dear relative occurs, we must use every endeavor to control our grief and sorrow. Fortunately the human frame is so wonderfully built that there is self-defense not only against disease, but also against affections of the mind. Thus we have the gift of forgetfulness, and if this sometimes be a drawback, in most cases it is a divine blessing. We must endeavor to obliterate the remembrance of our disappointments. We must remember that mourning for a great number of years will not restore life for one minute to the dear departed, but that a day of it is sufficient to run down our own health and create deep furrows in our face. Happily, average man is so constituted that, as time goes on, he must naturally lose his sorrow; time heals all grief, and here also will-power has its effects; and those who lack it, examples of whom we have referred to above, are easily subject to suicide.
It would also be necessary to change such of our habits as are allied to superstition and prejudice. As in many things, the Chinese are more rational in their customs; at their times of mourning every one is dressed in shining and beautiful white; they use a white coffin, which is much more pleasing to the sight, and certainly much more cheerful, than our depressing dark ones; and when the whole house and church are draped in black our depression, with its terrible consequences to our health and vitality, is so much the more increased. Thus the dead often shorten the lives of the living.
Then, living in total seclusion, garbed in deep black, with long black veil, remaining away from all places where the mind can be cheered, not even allowed to attend a concert, how can a poor widow forget, especially if her will-power from causes mentioned, is diminished? Shall we then be greatly surprised if, as occurs occasionally, such a widow or widower commits suicide, to which such irrational prejudices are simply impelling them?
And yet it will certainly not be impossible to ameliorate such a state. With a strong will-power systematically trained from childhood, we can accustom ourselves to drive out disagreeable thoughts of bereavement, fear, anxiety, etc. Realizing that what is irreparably lost can never be recovered, notwithstanding oceans of tears and the deepest sorrow, we must succeed in understanding the uselessness of it and make up our mind to eradicate entirely from our recollections things that can never be altered. Not to worry about anything is the surest and most successful way to attain long life and a green old age, and by the exercise of some will-power and consistent training such a mental condition can be obtained.
There are certain external agencies which can powerfully assist to bring about forgetfulness. Such are music, the arts, literature, and above all scientific occupations. Where is there a grief that cannot be soothed by one of the beautiful symphonies of Beethoven, or by the works of Mozart, or by other classics: Haydn, Haendel, Bach, Schubert, Chopin, Wagner, Grieg; or by the paintings of Velasquez, Rembrandt or Van Dyck; or by the pictures of the beautiful women painted by the great English masters Gainsborough, Reynolds, Romney, and Lawrence; and which of the saddest faces will not turn to a smile when reading Mark Twain? The pursuit of scientific research is also a mighty weapon, and we know a famous savant who passed the remainder of the day in his laboratory after he had accompanied the hearse of his wife to the cemetery.
When we are deeply depressed over a severe loss if we pay a visit to a museum, where we can see the manifestations of life that existed hundreds or thousands of years ago, it may give us some comfort. Considering the bodies in the British Museum of Egyptian kings and queens, etc., that lived thousands of years ago, together with the jewels that they were wearing, and all the other signs of splendor that existed so many ages before, we ask: in the face of these thousands of years what are those few years of worry on earth? As Schopenhauer said: “The world existed 50,000 years ago, and will last 50,000 years more, and what are the few years of our life in face of these thousands?”—and we would like to say “in face of these millions” of years, as the scientific history of mankind attests.
A trip to the country, mountains, forests, or seaside, being out in the flower-covered fields and sunshine, and especially foreign travel, thereby changing all our surroundings and habits, should soon be able to soothe our sorrows. In early childhood a love for the fine arts, music, painting and literature should be developed, as these form a valuable support for the mind in later years. A knowledge of Latin and Greek, which are soon forgotten, should not be the aim of the school education, but rather the refinement of character in the child.
The most valuable aid in the treatment of mental depression is religion, for this gives what nothing else can give in equal degree—Hope! Hope, without which we should always exist in continual gloom! We will point out, in a few words in the next chapter, the advantages of religious belief.