The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-17
The Mirth Cure.

Some French science men have been dis.
cussing and cndeavoring 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 dHyglene, 1t
appears That some very novel views were
advanced on the subject OF mirth as a
therapeutic, and the case was recalled Of
Lord LANEsBoRouGH, a victim of govt, who,
on the approach of an attack began dancing,
not as If from the spasm Of pain, but
with the lightness of JOY, executing, 80 to
speak, n pas seul that might be applauded
In the academy. Lord LANEsBoRoUGH, &C.
cording to the statement OF the French
men who spoke in praise of his action, was
so steadfast a believer in tho merit Of mirth
as n cure for ills that at the death OF tho
Prince of Denmark, the husband Of Queen
ANNE, he requested a special audience Of
her Majesty in order that he might explain
to her tho advantage of bordering the fid-
oilers to tune up" that her grief at the loss
OF her consort might be by this method
assuaged and that she might WOO gracious
forgetfulness at a time of sore personal trial
by dancing, so the French also describe 1t,
the reel of Virginia. DR.. DENIS Prudent
Roy, another Partisan, commended mirth
as n cure for bronchial catarrh. He averred
that laughter was a beneficial a~lveolar
stimulus, giving useful shocks to the chest,
and it was a wise, cheap Inc satisfactory
substitute for c%reosote and other drugs.
Unfortunately there are in every COM
munity some persons unable to avail them
selves of the a advantages Of medication for
illness but as DR.. DENIS PRUDENT-RoY
pointed out, there are no persons in any
community so poor In means. If not in tenn
per and fortitude, that they cannot laugh,
If by laughing they can promote n cure Of
their ailments.
Another learned man told Of an historical
incident in which laughter had figured as
u cure. When the Duke of ANGoULEME was
in service in the army Of HENRI w. 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
probably empty laughter. He secured
the cooperation of the Dukes bailiff, hiu
secretary, 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 go INC 70 years of age. Each
one endeavored, in the Dukes presence, 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 o portion Of the
Kings army.
In cases Of intermittent fever, too, &C.
cording to some Of the French experts, un,
restrained and understandable mirth pro.
duced by the perusal of an almanac or Joke
book in a language which the patient IN
derstands will restore where medicine has
failed to. An instance is told Of a patient
who was cured by attending the Theatre
Francois and enjoying a performance OF
lie Marriage de Figaro" presented with
much animation. In fact, the instances Of
recovery caused by the magical influence Of
mirth poured in. The non-doctors in the
congress were eager to add to their mum
Der, whereas the medical men seemed
loath to admit that laughter-either un
bridled mirth or 1.-THE guarded laugh" as II
is now sometimes c~alled-could be accept
ed as a primary hygienic agent rather thar
as an aid to convalescence.
Laugh and grow fat" has long been {
homcly adagc, the merit of which has mo-
been disputed seriously even by scientific
minds or by the uninitiated In the mystic
ries of hygiene. But "laugh and grow
well" is a new version Of the ancient admo
milton, and it will require, probably, mucl
more than the assurance OF any French
lights of science, however accomplished pro
fessionally and however DESTROYS Of pro
noting hilarity and good cheer, to estab
lish the principle that any serious bodil,
ailment may be cured radically by a simpl
prescription of laughter. For such a simpl
matter as toothache, the policy of "laugh
ingi t Off" has frequently been tried with
out success; it Is believed in by every on
but the man with the toothache. Blu
there Is novelty on the side of the Pari
Enthusiastically and originality, too
Good cheer aideth medicine. Might it re
place and abolish iti