Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-01-19
HUM0R AS A MEDICINE
Why European Authority Bars
Mark Twain's Works.
INJURIOUS AS A MENTAL DIET

British Medical Journal Says Humor-
lists Book. Not Only Cheer, hut In
ebriate-American Physicians Who
Prescribe Them For Convalescents
Tell of Their vaIue-Hov John NJ.
Pattison Took the Laugh Cure.
The British Medical Journal, q lead
ing European authority. in recent is
sue declares that English convalescents
must avoid Mark Twain as a mental
diet, says the New York American. 1t
says:
'Convalescents must not read Mark
Twain's books; they not only cheer.
but inebriate. Twain's books may pro-
woke side splitting laughter and so re-
tard the union of severed or lacerated
parts in the healing process"
But two Of New York's foremost
physicians, both nerve specialists, one
of them Charles Weston Brandenburg,
professor at the New York Medical
College and American institute, and J.
Carleton Simon. former president of
the One Hundred Year club, agree that
Mark Twain as mental diet can hard
ly be surpassed.
"For years / have prescribed Mark
Twain, Bret Harte and Artemus Ward
as regularly for my patients. most all
OF whom are sufferers from neurosis,
as / have prescribed the accepted food
diet" declared DIR. Simon recently. at
is rather startling to have Twain re-
garded as too vigorous. l fancied him
more subdued writer than Ward,
whom 1 regard as one of the most
luxuriant humorists. 1 seldom differ
entiate between good humorous books
because / regard the vigorous stirring
up of a melancholiac's humorous sensi-
bilities as good thing for the patients
progress.
"As / have always prescribed Twain
and Ward SO have always prescribed
depressing books-Hamlet. for instance.
In the same way all nerve specialists
select or restrict the plays which their
patients shall see.
THE explanation of the effect of
humor-clean. wholesome humor-upon
physical health is simple. Laughter
the heartier the better-increases the
blood pressure, stimulates the produc
ton OF red corpuscles and thus in
creases the patients strength. There's
an old adage. Laugh and grow fat
The Medical Journal may be right
from an English point of view, as hu-
NOR is not an English characteristic.
In America every individual cracks
jokes. Messrs. Ryan and Hartman, If
they should meet at directors meet
ing. would Immediately start to tell
ing funny stories to prove their sur
face Indifference and hide any subway
In England it is harder to
launch jokes
When | was q student in Cincin-
natl. perhaps thirty years ago. said
DR.. Brandenburg. the new governor
Of Ohio. inaugurated recently. John NJ.
was my roommate. He was
law: / medicine. He was
blue and i'll one night. and L read Tom
Sawyer to him. He laughed himself
well.
Each faculty of the mind has a rela-
ton to particular part of the brain
which it tends to develop and energize.
the higher stimulus of litera-
ture the sensual faculties in the pos
terror brain would develop only gross
and degraded humanity.
THE monotony of convaFescence may
be relieved not only by the stimulus
Of Mark Twain's books, but by gentle.
music and social sur
Laughter is one of the best, most
natural forms of exercise l know of.
The idea that side splitting laughter
nay retard the healing of wounds Is,
am afraid. a trifie far fetched. /
'eally think that granulation might be
gently stimulated instead. OF course.
people have burst their hearts by
aughing, but the instances were most