Psychosomatic Medicine 6:17-22 (1944)
© 1944 American Psychosomatic Society

Tuberculosis and Personality Conflicts

¹ Henry Phipps Psychiatric Clinic, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland

A brief review of the divergent views in the literature of the past few decades indicates the need for further documentation of the relationship between personality conflicts and pulmonary tuberculosis. Three cases are described which indicate that an individual may react to life situations with an anxiety state or other personal behavior in such a way as to interfere with healthy living; and these reactions may thereby become a most significant factor in the onset and course of clinical tuberculosis. The individualistic character of these personality reactions does not encourage one to expect valid general formulations for the direct correlation of personality traits with tuberculosis infection. In addition, a special limitation to extensive statistical study of such correlations is clearly seen:--the "official" case history usually misses the more significant personal issues, and these come to light only in personal relationships or in special personal types of psychiatric study. In terms of practical management, pulmonary tuberculosis can be as much a disease of the personality as it is of the lungs.