BODILY CONDITIONS MENTAL STATES. 53 



led directly to the result as seen, but which have made no impression 

 on the patient's memory. Still, it seems probable also that there may 

 be mental influences excessively manifested over particular organs and 

 functions, which are determined by purely subjective causes and with- 

 out the intervention of external circumstance. Be that as it may, it 

 seems to be necessary that there should be a certain preparation a 

 sort of condition precedent in the mind which makes it liable to ab- 

 normal manifestations. Mental influence over bodily function is in it- 

 self a constant and therefore a normal condition of existence. But one 

 of the products of civilization is to exalt the mental into a too pre- 

 ponderating influence. In that exaltation the mind easily becomes 

 hyper-susceptible. It takes on, with abnormal facility, a timbre of 

 which it is not itself conscious, but which tends to modify biological 

 relations in the way, among others, which I have to a certain extent 

 illustrated in the preceding pages. 



Now, there are various circumstances which favor modifications of 

 psycho-biological relations, but which do not themselves directly cause 

 them. Among those most frequently coming under professional recog- 

 nition, hysteria may be instanced as a potent influence ; but, in the 

 light of the facts in my experience, it is incorrect to speak of the hys- 

 terica] foot or the hysterical stomach or knee. We have the phenomena 

 exhibited in both sexes, in children of tender years and in men and 

 women in advanced life. Hysteria, or, more properly, imperfect sexual 

 hygiene in both male and female, by perturbing the system, does pro- 

 duce a condition favoring modifications of the mental states ; but the 

 phenomena under consideration are not themselves hysterical. Any 

 thing or any influence and they are many which can increase the 

 mental tension and impressionability beyond a certain normal standard, 

 will produce a modification of the timbre such as we see exemplified 

 in so many instances. Besides the peculiar cases given as illustrations, 

 there is a large class of what are called " simulated diseases," persons 

 with local sensations or pains which do not arise from or represent cor- 

 responding local diseases. These can not have even a passing allusion 

 here. Time also prevents me from entering into a discussion of the 

 important subject of mental influence on actual disease, even if that 

 aspect of my subject did not more properly belong to the medical de- 

 partment of biolog}\ Suffice it here to say that, as must be inferred 

 from the facts and arguments already adduced, no system of therapeu- 

 tics can be complete which does not embrace the design of controlling 

 psycho-biological relations in general, and with reference to chronic dis- 

 ease especially. 



From the foregoing presentation, several important and practical 

 deductions may be drawn : 



1. Mental culture, while it brings more physical pleasure, brings 

 also increased bodily susceptibility. 



2. Pain, at least that which we are now considering, is but an in- 



