The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-01-16
INFLUENCE OF TIE MIND ON THE
BODY.

INFLUENCE OF TIE MIND ON THE
BODY.
The inhusnse Of faith, belief or opinion,
on the body is unquestionable. We have
seen children oftwo, three or four years Of
age shver in the cold bath, because they
feared, beforehand, Il would be cold to them.
The proof of mental influence in this case is
derived from the fact, that when the same
process IN the same circsmstances, or those
which nearly resemble Il, is submitted to
cheefully and without apprehensions, there
Is no shiveriDg.
The same truth Is applicable almost ev.
cry where in life, and in nearly all circum-
stances. Things are, to a very great extent
as we apprehend them. If we expect a
room will be cold at sixty degrees Of Fab.
renheit, II is very apt to prove SO. If we ex.
pect to be fatigusd with certain kind or
degree Of exercise or labor, we are apt to be
SO; and the contrary. So If we expect to
catch cold or any rydisease--even small
pox-we are very apt 10 fnd n so.S On the
contrary, he who does not expect to be sick
or be assailed, may walk unscratched
through dangers which the more timid man
would be destroyed. We might illustrate
the principle at which we aim by numerous
examples, but few will be sufficient for
our present purpose. We wish, il possible
to fasten the conviction on the minds Of our
readers, that just = surely AZ the expectation
Of being wealthy, wise or good, tends to
such results, SO surely does the expectation
that we shall be healthy or diseased tend to
make us so.
In Paris Life of Sir Humphrey Davy, we
are told that DR.. Beddoes once went to him
with a patient who wns greatly afflicted with
one species of palsy, in order that he might
receive the nitrous oxide gas, but without
explaining to his patient the nature ofthe op.
Grafton. Before administering the gas. how.
ever, thermometer was placed under his
tongue, to ascertain the general temperature
Of his system. The patient not so much ms
imagining what was done, no sooner felt the
bulb Of the Thermometer under his tongue
than he declared that he was better. The
gas, therefore was not given, but the man
was required to come and be operated upon
in the same way the following day, which he
did, and with similar happy effects. In fine,
after repeating the operation of placing the
bulo of the thermometer under his tongue
every day, for fortnight, the patient was
dismissed perfectly cured.
Equally worthy of our credit, though |,
may seem to partake q little more of the
marvellous, is story which DR.. Gregory, o
Edingburg, was accustomed TO relate to hi,
students.
Having ordered young patient Of his
a medical student-to taks an nnodyas q,
bedtime, the young man understood him t.
say cathartic. The medicine was accor
dingly taken in the full expectation of lax
alive effect; which in truth, were realized.--
When Dr.. G., asked the next morning wha
effect the anodyne had the sick man exclaim
ed with great suprise-"Arodye, sir! did you
not send me cathartic?" By no means sale
the doctor; it was an anodyne. Well, saii
the patient, It has certainly operated as CO
thartic, and |. feel greatly relieved by it,
Now, it is quite possible that the condition
of the young man was such that the an
odyne produced cathartic effects, independ
ent of the state Of the mind; still it is scarce
ly probable.
1t is the same principle that medicines II
general not only in the hands Of quacks but
10 those Of regular physicians themselve'
have much oftaeir efficacy. The influenc,
ofcharms, and cunjurations, and incantations
to restore health to savage, is well knowp.-
We are, all Of US, in this respect, but little
elevated above the condition Of the savages
We are the continued dupes of our fears
"and feel thousand deaths in fsaring one.'
| ---------------------------