Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-02-24
DISEASES CURED BY MIRTH.
French Physicians Tell of Cases When
Laughter Has Dispelled Sickness.

Some French science men have been
discussing 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 GER
tain diseases At the convention of
the French scientific press, as repro
| duced in the Journal d'Hygiene, it ap-
pears that some very novel views We're
advanced on the subject of mirth as a
therapeutic, and the case was recalled
Of Lord I.anesborough a victim of
govt, who, on the approach of an at
tack began dancing, not as if from the
spasm of pain, but with the lightness
of joy, executing, so to speak, a pas
seul that might be applauded in the
academy. Lord Lanesborough ac
cording To the statement of the
Frenchmen who spoke in praise of his
action, was so steadfast believer in
the merit of mirth as a cure for ills
that at the death of the prince Of Den
mark, the husband of Queen Anne, he
requested special audience of her
to her the advantage of ordering the
fiddlers 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 it, the reel
OF Virginia.
DR.. Denis Prudent Roy, another
Partisan, commended mirth as a cure
for bronchial catarrh. He ayerred
that laughter was a beneficial alveolar
stimulus, giving useful shocks to the
chest, and it was wise, cheap and sat
isfactory substitute for creosote and
other drugs. Unfortunately there are
in every community some persons un-
able to avail themselves of tie adj
vantages of medication for illness, but
as DR.. Denis Prudent-Roy pointed
out, there are no persons in any COM
munity so poor in means, if not in
temper and fortitude, that they can
not laugh, if by laughing they can
promote cure of their ailments.
Another learned man told of an his
torical incident in which laughter had
figured as a cure. When the duke of
Angouleme was in service In the army
OF Henry ". he was stricken with
Illness in the camp and his life was
despared Of The surgeon OF the
army corps. to whom appeal was
made, recommended tthe medicine
chest was probably empty laughter.
He secured the cooperation Of the
dukes bailliff his secretary and the
captain of the royal guards, These
came to the bedside Of the duke dress
ed in white and wearing. each of them
red hats with cocks feathers. All
three were men of demure aspect, all
three were between SO and 10 years Of
age. Each one endeavored, In the
dukes presence, TO knock off the hat
of one of the others, and the duke of
Argouleme was so convulsed with
laughter at lie antics OF his visitors
that the fever which had beset him for
more than three weeks diminished.
He recovered his health: he was re-
stored and he resumed command of q
rortion OF the kings army,
In cases of intermittent fever too,
according 10 some OF the French ex-
ferts. unrestrained and understandable
mirth produced by the perusual of an
almanac or joke book in a language
which the patient understands will re-
store where medicine has failed to-
An instance is had Of a patient who