One of the most marked instances of the action and reaction of Mental States and Physical Conditions is met with in the activities of the sexual organism. Psychologists very properly hold that sexual excesses and abnormalities are largely due to improper thinking, that is, by allowing the attention and interest to dwell too strongly and continuously upon subjects connected with the activities of that part of the physical system. Mental treatment along the lines of Suggestive Therapeutics has resulted in curing many persons of troubles of this sort. But, note the correlated fact—excess and abnormalities of the kind mentioned, almost invariably react upon the mentality of the person indulging in them, and softening of the brain, paralysis, or imbecility have often arisen directly from these physical abuses. It will be seen that any sane treatment of these troubles must take into consideration both Body and Mind. In the same way it is a fact that just as certain Mental States, notably those of fear, worry, grief, jealousy, etc., will injuriously affect the organs of digestion and assimilation, so will imperfect functioning of these organs tend to produce depressing mental states similar to those just mentioned. Many instances of the strange correspondences are met with in the study of physiological-psychology, or psychological-physiology.

In order to more fully appreciate the relation between the Body and the Mind, let us read the following lines from Prof. Halleck: “Marvelous as are the mind’s achievements, we must note that it is as completely dependent upon the nervous system as is a plant upon sun, rain and air. Suppose a child of intelligent parents were ushered into the world without a nerve leading from his otherwise perfect brain to any portion of his body, with no optic nerve to transmit the glorious sensations from the eye, no auditory nerve to conduct the vibrations of the mother’s voice, no tactile nerves to convey the touch of a hand, no olfactory nerve to rouse the brain with the delicate aroma from the orchards and the wild flowers in spring, no gustatory, thermal or muscular nerves. Could such a child live, as the years rolled on, the books of Shakespeare and of Milton would be opened in vain before the child’s eyes. The wisest men might talk to him with utmost eloquence, all to no purpose. Nature could not whisper one of her inspiring truths into his deaf ear, could not light up that dark mind with a picture of the rainbow or of a human face. No matter how perfect might be the child’s brain and his inherited capacity for mental activities, his faculties would remain for this life shrouded in Egyptian darkness. Perception could give memory nothing to retain, and thought could not weave her matchless fabrics without materials.”

The very feelings or emotions themselves are so closely related to the accompanying physical expressions, that it is difficult to distinguish between cause and effect, or indeed to state positively which really is the cause of the other. Prof. William James, in some of his works, strongly indicates this close relation, as for instance when he says: “The feeling, in the coarser emotions, result from the bodily expression.... My theory is that the bodily changes follow directly the perception of the exciting fact, and that our feeling of the same changes as they occur is the emotion.... Particular perceptions certainly do produce widespread bodily effects by a sort of immediate physical influence, antecedent to the arousal of an emotion or emotional idea.... Every one of the bodily changes, whatsoever it may be, is felt, acutely or obscurely, the moment it occurs.... If we fancy some strong emotion, and then try to abstract from our consciousness of it all the feelings of its bodily symptoms, we have nothing left behind.... A disembodied human emotion is a sheer nonentity. I do not say that it is a contradiction in the nature of things, or that pure spirits are necessarily condemned to cold intellectual lives; but I say that for us emotion disassociated from all bodily feelings is inconceivable. The more closely I scrutinize my states, the more persuaded I become that whatever ‘coarse’ affections and passions I have are in very truth constituted by, and made up of, those bodily changes which we ordinarily call their expression or consequence.... But our emotions must always be inwardly what they are, whatever may be the physiological ground of their apparition. If they are deep, pure, worthy, spiritual facts on any conceivable theory of their physiological source, they remain no less deep, more spiritual, and worthy of regard on this present sensational theory.”

A deeper consideration of the relation between Mind and Body would necessitate our invading the field of metaphysical speculation, which we have expressed our intention to avoid doing. Enough for the purposes of our present consideration is: the recognition that each individual is possessed of a mind and a material body; that these two phases or aspects of himself are closely related by an infinite variety of ties and filaments; that these two phases of his being act and react upon each other constantly and continuously; that in all considerations of the questiontion of either mental or physical well-being, or both, that both of these phases of being must be considered; that any system of therapeutics which ignores either of these phases, is necessarily “one-sided” and incomplete; and that, while, for convenience and clearness of specialized thinking, we may consider the Mind and the Body as separate and independent of each other, yet, we must, in the end, recognize their interdependence, mutual relation, action and reaction.

Thus, the New Psychology recognizes the importance of the Body, while the New Physiology recognizes the importance of the Mind. And, in the end, we feel that both physiology and psychology must be recognized as being but two different phases of one great science—the Science of Life.

Transcriber's Note:
There are two occurrences of an unmatched double quotation mark. It was unclear where the missing opening or closing quotation mark belonged, and no attempt was made to insert one.