New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1908-01-29
FUN TO CURE GRIT.
Physician Prescribes Laughter,
Not Whisky and Quinine.
OPTIMISM CHIEF ANTIDoTE.

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.
DR.. Leavitt declared that he is using
this treatment on his patients with
gratifying outcome and has advanced
it past the stage of abstruse calcula-
ton to the reality Of daily practice,
says tine Chicago American
DR.. Laayitt, in a sentence, thinks
Optimism is the antidote for the grip
microbe."
This conclusion is not based on the
'smind over matter" theories, nor has
it fiber OF faith healing in it's fabric.
He explains it on pathological reason
ing as follows:
''There is in the body Of every hui
man being, especially every city bred
person, raised in an atmosphere of
smoke and hurry and poor ventilation,
the germ of every disease that flesh is
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 able
to defeat the germs and keep them
subjected until the resistance lags or
weakens, and then the microbe which
is the most powerful this is the grip
germ now because of atmospheric
conditions) grips the subject and he is
conquered.
'This resisting force is the nervous
system, and on the strength and tone
Of this system is based the degree of
resistance within the body. The brain
is the center Of this system, and the
brain is in strong or depleted tone &C
cording as the spirits are high. the
courage strong and optimism reigning
or the spirits depressed, cowardice in
command and pessimism fourishing.
Therefore laughter, which keeps
the spirits high and the mind cheerful,
keeps the nervous system at its highest
tone, makes the resistance most pow
erful and curbs the disease germ,
which at this season and in this eli
matte state is most pronounced In the
form of the grip microbe.'
T. 1x-;Y
tice of prescribing fun to cure grip DR..
Leayitt accepts 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 to
spring at the moment of depleted yigor
as against the more common belief that
germs live in the air, are breathed in
and thus attack the body and are pass
ed through breath, expectoration and
even contact as a contagion.
Dr. Leayitt cited an instance of one
woman patient who not only was 4
grip sufferer, but who in addition was
Of low vitality through a wasting
chronic ailment She came to his Of
fee complaining that she was feverish
her throat ached, and her bones felt
as though she had been beaten.
DR.. Leavitt found that she showed
every symptom Of a typical grip case.
go out and laugh" he told the as
tonished woman, who, he says, expect
ed to be put to bed with fannels, OF
hot punches and half rations.
"The woman walked out and follow
ed instructions" says DR.. Leavitt. "Sht
made herself feel cheerful and thinl
humorous, pleasing thoughts. Within
twenty-four hours she had nothing blu
tickling in the throat which soo1
Departed
DR.. Leavitt added that he knows OF
no drug that will cure grip. He sale
that many physicians, though not a:
thoroughly given to the theory as hi
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.