Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-01-07
DISEASES CURED BY MlRTH. Z
Physicians Tell of Cases When
Laughter Dispellcd sickness.

FhystctnnH TEL ot Soses Nhcu
Laughter Dispeiied sickness.
Some French science men have been
discussing and erdeavoring to dis.
pose of the question of mirth as an
agent for the cure of disease or other
states of mind which favor the prog
rcss of certain diseases. At tho con-
vention of the French scientific press,
MS reproduced in the Journal dHy'
giene, it appears that some very novel
views were advanced on the subject oil
mirth as a therapeutic, and the case
was recalled of Lord Lanesborough, q
victim of gout, who, on the approach OF
an attack, began dancing, not as ii
from the spasm of pain, but with the
lightness of joy, executing, so to speak,
pas seul that might be APP
plauded in the academy. Lord Lanes
borough, according to the statement of
the Frenchman who spoke in praise OF
his action, was so steadfast believer in
the merit of mirth as n cure for ills that
at the death of the prince of Denmark,
the husband of Queen Anne, he request
ed special audience of her majesty,
in order that he might explain 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 gra'
cious forgetfulness at time of sore
personal trial by dancing, so the French
also describe it, the reel of Virginia.
DR.. Denis Prudent-Roy, another Par
isian, commended mirth as cure for
bronchial catarrh. lie averred that
laughter was beneficial alveolar stim-
ulous, giving useful shocks to the chest,
and it was wise, cheap and satisfac-
tory substitute for creosote and other
drugs. Unfortunately there are in every
community some persons unable to
avail themselves of the 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 temper and fortitude,
that they cannot laugh, If by laughing
they can promote cure of their all
ments.
Another learned man told of his
torical incident in which laughter had
figured as cure. When the duke Of
Angouleme was in service in the army
Of Henry ". he was stricken with i'll
ness in the camp, and his life was de-
SPARED 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,
his secretary, and the captain of the
royal guards. These came to the bed
side 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 be-
tween GO and 20 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 con-
vulsed with laughter at the antics OF
his visitors that the fever which had
beset him for more than three weeks
he was restored, and he resumed COM
mand of portion OF the kings army.
In cases Of intermittent fever, too,
according to some of the French eX-
perts, unrestrained and understandable
nirth produced by the peeusol OF an al
manac or joke book in language
which the patient understands will re-
store where medicine has failed to.
An instance Is had of patient who
was cured by attending the Theater
Franchise and enjoying performance
Of "Le Marriage de Figaro" presented
with much animation. In fact, there
are numerous instances of recovery by
the magical influence Of mirth poured
in. The nondoctors in the congress were
eager to add to their number, whereas
the medical men seemed loath to admit
that laughter-either unbridled mirtli
or the guarded laugh" as it is now
sometimes called-could be accepted as
primary hygienic agent rather than
~ an aid to convalescencc.
Laugh and grow fat" has long beer
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 well" is new version of the
ancient admontion, and it will re.
quire, probably, much more than the
assurance of any French lights of sci
ence, however accomplished profession
ally and however desirous of promoting
hilarity and good cheer, to establish the
principle that any serious bodily all
ment may be cured radically by sim
pie prescription of laughter For sucl
a simple matter as toothache, the pol
icy of laughing it off" has frequently
been tried without success; it is be
lieved in by everyone but the man
with the toothache. But there is nov
city on the side of the Paris scientists
novelty and originality too. Good
cheer aideth medicine. Might IT re
place and abolish it?-N. Y. Sun.
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