Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-03
fun 1O CURE GRIPPE
Physician Prescribes Laughter
as Substitute For Whisky
and Quinine
Or. Leavitt of Chicago Declares He
Uses Laughter Treatment With
Gratifying Results-How High Spir-
its and Cheerful Mind Tone UP Dis
ease Resisting Force.

An absolutely unheard Of and as
founding theory was advocated re
Gently by DR.. Sheldon Leavitt of Chi
cago. He said that laughter is The
best cure for grip.
Or. Leavitt declared that he is uslnA
this treatment on his patients witt
gratifying outcome and has advance
It past the stage OF abstruse calculn
ton to the reality Of daily practice
says the Chicago American.
DR.. Laavitt. in sentence. think,
Optimism is the antidote for the grill
microbe.'
This conclusion is not based on tn,
"mind over matter" theories. nor la
1t Il fiber Of faith healing in Its fabric
He explains it on pathological reason
ing as follows:
"There is in the body Of every hu
man being. especially every city bres
person, raised in an atmosphere o.
smoke and hurry and poor ventilation
the germ of every disease that flesh Ii
heir to-
"Why. then, has not every one. &c
cording to this hypothesis, typhoid fe
YER malaria, scarlet fever, ETC.?
Because the resisting force is ablt
to defeat the germs and keep then
subjected until the resistance lags o.
weakens, and then the microbe which
is the most powerful this is the gril
germ now because Of atmospheric
conditions) grips the subject. and he ]:
conquered.
This resisting force is the nervou!
system, and on the strength aud tone
Of this system Is based the degree o
resistance within the body. The brazil
is the center of this system. and thu
brain is in strong or depleted tone &C
cording as the spirits are high the
courage strong and optimism reigninf
or the spirits depressed. cowardice II
command and pessimism flourishing.
Therefore laughter which keep:
the spirits high and the mind Cheerful!
keeps the nervous system at its highes
tone. makes the resistance most pow
erful and curbs the disease germ
which ut this season and In this ell
matte state is most pronounced IN the
form of the grip microbe."
In thus evolving the amazing prac
tice Of prescribing fun to cure grip DR.
I.eavitt accepts a germ theory entirely
removed from the one generally adopt
ed by the medical profession.
He regards the disease germ as some
thing within the human body. ready t
spring at the moment Of depleted vigol
as against the more common belief tina
germs live in the air. are breathed IL
and thus attack the body and are pass
ed through breath, expectoration ant
even contact as a contagion.
DR.. Leavitt cited an instance Of on
woman patient who not only was
grip sufferer, but who in addition was
of low vitality through wasting
chronic alment. She came to his OF
fee complaining that she was feverish
her throat ached, and her bones fel
as though she had been beaten.
DR.. Leavtt found that she showed
every symptom Of d typical grip case.
"Go out and laugh" he told the as
tonished woman, who he says, expect
ed to be put to bed with flannels, OF
hot punches and half rations.
1.-The woman walked out and follow
ed instructions" says DR.. Leavitt. "Sh'
made herself feel cheerful and thinl
humorous, pleasing thoughts. Within
twenty-four hours she had nothing bu
a tickling in the throat, which sool
departed.
DR.. Leavitt added that he knows O.
no drug that will cure grip. He sale
that many physicians, though not a:
thoroughly given to the theory as n
himself, follow it in general effect BY
giving the patient some harmless medi
cine calculated to have no effect excep
to make the patient think he is swal
lowing a medical remedy, then effect
ing cure by ordering sunlight ant
cheerful surroundings and letting ma
ture work out the cure on that line.