HYPO CHONDRI′ASIS

Syn. Hypochondriac ism . The ‘hip’ or ‘hyp,’ the ‘vapours,’ depre ion of spirits, ‘blue devils.’ This disease chiefly affects persons of the melancholic temperament, and is commonly induced by hard study, irregular habits of life, want of proper social intercourse, living in close apartments, and insufficient out-of-door exercise. The treatment may, in most cases be similar to that recommended for DYSPEPSIA , observing, however, that succe depends more on amusing and engaging the mind, and in gradually weaning it from old conceits, than in the mere administration of medicine. When the patient is tormented with a visionary or exaggerated sense of pain, or of some concealed disease, or a whimsical dislike of certain persons, places, or things, or groundle apprehensions of personal danger or poverty, or the conviction of having experienced some dreadful accident or misfortune, the better way is to avoid any direct attempts to alter his opinions, but to endeavour to inspire confidence in some method of relief. Greding mentions the case of a medical man who conceived that his stomach was full of frogs, which had been succe ively spawning ever since he had bathed, when a boy, in a pool in which he had perceived some tadpoles; and he had spent his life in endeavouring to get them removed. One patient, perhaps, fancies himself a giant; another as heavy as lead; a third a feather, in continual danger of being blown away by the wind; and a fourth a piece of gla , and is hourly fearful of being broken. Mar cell us Dentatus mentions a baker of Ferrara who thought himself a lump of butter, and durst not sit in the sun, or come near the fire, for fear of being melted. The writer of this article once knew a man who always put on his coat the wrong side in front, because he conceived his face looked behind him. In such cases it is usele to argue with the patient, as it only causes irritation, and increases the malady. The restoration of the bodily health, and a sudden surprise or change of scene, will often effect a cure.