Nerve prostration and other functional disorders of daily life / by Robson Roose.

  • Roose, Edward Charles Robson.
Date:
1891
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Nerve prostration and other functional disorders of daily life / by Robson Roose. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    should assure her that he quite understands her ailment, and that her recovery is certain if his directions are properly attended to. Notwithstanding the exaggeration which is so prominent a feature of this complaint, it must always be borne in mind that much of the suffering is real, and not imaginary. It seldom answers to treat the patient harshly ; to tell her that her ailments are non-existent and that she is shamming is almost certain to make her worse ; she broods over and exaggerates her troubles, and probably develops new symptoms. On the other hand, nothing can be more mischievous for the patient than to treat her as though she were as ill as she believes herself to be; the adoption of this course by well-intentioned but misguided friends and relatives may constitute a serious obstacle to the efforts of the physician. Hence it is that in many cases the most effectual plan of cure is to change the circumstances under which the patient is placed, and to bring a fresh set of influences to bear upon her. Such a plan is not always feasible, and in mild cases it can scarcely be regarded as necessary. For these latter, after due inquiry has been made into all the circumstances which may have contributed towards the development of the symptoms, the measures described on page 152 should be sedulously adopted. What the patient should do and what she must not do should be very clearly specified. All causes of emotional excitement, and especially the reading of sensational literature, so mischievous to many young