HYPOCHONDRIASIS, may be described as an extreme sensibility of the nervous system, usually attended with symptoms of dyspepsia, as flatulence, eructation, a sense of uneasiness in the region of the stomach, and hypochondria, and almost always with lowness of spirits, which makes the patient believe himself to be much worse than he really is. The morbid feelings of the hypochondriac are real, depending on physical disturbances of the system; but the nervous apprehension of the patient causes him to dwell on them, and magnify them into undue importance. Attention to diet and exercise is the most important part of the treatment of hypochondriasis, together with withdrawal from those studies, pursuits, or habits, which appear to have led to the formation and development of the disease. Occasional gentle laxatives and tonics may also be required, but these should only be taken under medical advice.