The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-19
DISEASE CURED BY MIRTH.
Physicians Tell of Cases Where
Laughter Has DispelIed sickness.

La ughter Has D1spelIed sickness.
New York Sun.
Some French scientific men have been dis
GUESSING and endeavoring to dispose of the
question OF mirth as an agent for the cure
OF disease or of states of mind which favor
the progress of certain diseases. At the
convention of the French scientific press,
as reproduced in the Journal dHygiene, it
appears that some very. novel views were
advanced on the subject of mirth as a
therapeutic, and the case was recalled of
Lord LaneSborough, victim of govt, who,
on the approach of an attack began dane
ing; not as If from the spasm of pain, but
with the lightness of joy executing, so to
speak, pas Seul that might be applauded
in the academy. Lord LanesbOrough, ac-
cordlng to the statement Of the Frenchman
steadfast believer in the merit of mirth
as a cure for ills that at the death of the
Prince of Denmark, the husband of Queen
. Anne he requested a special audience of
her Majesty in order that he might ex-
plain to her the advantage of ordering the
loss of her consort might be by this method
assuaged and that she might WOO gracious
forgetfulness at time of sore personal
trial by dancing, so the French also de-
scribe it, the reel of Virginia.
DR.. Denis Prudent-Roy, another Partisan,
commended mrth as a cure for bronchial
catarrh. He averred that laughter was a
beneficial alveolar stimulus, giving useful
shocks to the chest, and it was WISE
cheap and satisfactory substitute for creo-
Sote and other drugs. Unfortunately there
able to avail themselves of the advantages
of medication for illness, but as DR.. Denis
Prudent-Roy pointed out, there are no per-
sons in any community so poor in means
if not in temper and fortitude, that they
cannot laugh, if by laughing they can pro-
mote q cure of their ailments.
Another learned man told of an historical
incident in which laughter had figured d.
cure: When the Duke of Angouleme was in
service III the army of Henry " he was
stricken with illness in the camp and his
life was despaired Of The surgeon of the
army corps, to, whom appeal was made,
recommended (the medicine chest was prob
ably empty laughter He secured the CO.
operation of the dukes bailiff, his Secre-
tary and the captain of the royal guards.
These came to the bedside of the duke
dressed in white and wearing, each of them,
red hats with cocks feathers All three
were men OF demure aspect, all three were
between sixty and seventy years of age.
Each one endeavOred, IN the dukes pres
ence, to knock off the hat of one of the
others, and the Duke of Angouleme was SO
conVulsed with laughter at the antics of
his visitors that the fever which had beset
him for more than three weeks diminished.
He recovered his health, he was restored.
and he resumed command of a portion of
the Kings army.
In cases of intermittent fever, too, ac-
cording to some of the French experts, un-
restrained and understandable mirth pro-
duced by the perusal of an almanac or joke
book in q language which the patient un-
failed to. An instance is had of a patient
who was cured by attending the Theater
Francois and enjoying performance of
LIE Marriage de Figaro" presented with
much animation, In, fact, the instances of
recovery caused by the magical influence of
nirth poured in. The nondoctors in the
congress We're eager to add to their num-
Der, whereas the medical men seemed loath
to admit that laughter = either unbridled
mirth or "the guarded laugh as it is now
sometimes called-could be accepted las
primary hygienic agent rather than as an
aid to cOnvaleScence.
Laugh and grow fat" has long been a
hOmely adage, the merit of which has, not
been disputed seriously even by scientific
minds or by the uninitiated in the mysteries
of hygiene. But laugh and grow Welr' Is
a new, version of the ancient admoition, and
it will require, probably. much more than
the assurance of any French lights of sci
ence, however accomplished professionally
and however DESTROYS of promoting hilarity
and good cheer, to establish the principle
that any serious bodily ailment may be
cured radically by a simple prescription of
laughter. For such a simple matter as
toothache the policy of Laughing it off,
has frequently been tried without success;
1T is believed in by everyone but the man
with the toothache. But there is novelty
or the side of the Paris enthusiastically
ard originality, too. Good cheer aideth
medicine. Might it replace and abolish it?