The Emotional Factor in Visceral Disease

Dr. McGregor has written an interesting, timely and useful little book in which he gives much information and much good advice. It is an excellent idea to show the medical student that, even when he finds organic disease such as peptic ulcer or chronic ulcerative colitis, asthma, hypertension or hyperthyroidism, he must not forget that factors of nerve strain, fatigue, worry, fear, difficulties in adjustment to life or internal psychic conflicts may well be more important in maintaining the disease or producing exacerbations than are the organic changes to be observed in the body. Furthermore, treatment will often be useless unless the psychic factors are recognized and corrected so far as is possible. The author discusses the now well known fact that there is a definite ulcer diathesis or personality which must be recognized and dealt with during all attempts at treatment of the disease. He gives a number of