Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-09-14
Some Suggestions That May
Prove Of Great Value to the
New Soldier.
HOW TO REST BY RELAXATION
Wonderful Currents, Curative, Restor-
ing and Replenishing Flow Into
the Submissive Body During
Moments Of Relaxation.
BY AUGUSTUS THOMAS,
Of the Viqilantes.


Of the Vigilantes.
New York.-This is a genuine letter,
n document" written by the distin-
guished dramatist to his son about to
go to France. Mr.. Thomas when writ
ing had no thought of its publication.
He is an enthusiastic Vigilante; others
Of the organization happened to see
the letter and persuaded him to let 1t
be published.
My Dear Son:
I was interested in the report of the
boys in their hike under the full
packs, and their readiness to fall
asleep when chance came at the end
OF the day. That "dog-tired" fatigue
Is the kind that brings the most COM
plete relaxation and the fullest re-
cuperation. We learn late in life
some of us--that the secret of re-
cuperation, and therefore the secret of
power, not only physical power, but
also power mental and spiritual, is
the ability to relax.
You are probably going to France,
and II so will often have great need
Of the quickest replenlshment Of your
expended strength. Perhaps you will
remember more definitely some sug-
gestions about relaxing If give you
the basic reasons for them.
used to amuse you when you were
a little fellow by "hypnotizing mos
quitos." You will recall that mos
quito that would fly from my hand or
face when you tried to catch him
would sit still for me until slowly
picked him up. The trick in that was
my waiting until felt his sting, and
then taking q deep breath, and push
Ing on 1t" or tensing up. That tension
automatically closed all the pores of
the skin, and the mosquito who had
put his bill into one of these pores
found 1t grlpped and held there as a
bears foot might be held In spring
trap.
That closing Of the pores under ten
sion is one of natures means of pro-
lection. A man suddenly plunged into
water instlnctively inhales and auto
matically closes his pores. He does
the same thing II startled by danger or
attacked by any emotional shock. He
does II also when making any consid-
erable effort.
Strength From Without.
II is only with age and some humil-
ity that we come TO realize how much
of our so-called strength comes from
outside of us, actually flows into us
and through us on what, IL the phrase
won't frighten you, might call the
"cosmlc currents"
There is a little scientific instru-
ment called the biometre that regis
ters, and to some extent measures,
this strengthening current. hope II
won't bore you If 1 tell you Of II
briefly.
The biometre is a small glass bel
OF dome, inside of which there is q
copper needle suspended by sill
thread. The bell rests on q board un
der which is a coil of copper wire
The needle swings free. not quite
touching the supporting base. When 9
man approaches the biometre with his
left hand the needle is drawn towart
him slightly but perceptibly. When h'
approaches the bell with his right hand
the needle swings away from him more
perceptibly than 1t swung toward hin
In the first experiment.
II two biometres are used, one TO
each hand, the needle In the left on,
Is drawn toward the man, and that II
the right one is repelled. That woul'
seem to indicate that a current wa
flowing into us and through us fror
left TO right.
Furthermore It Is possible to pro
duce this interesting phenomenon:
the man tries to affect the current b
n tensed effort, the right needle move
further from him than before, but tn
left one ceases to be attracted an
hangs plumb. This would seem to IL
dicate that his effort expended tn
energy which the right-hand needl
registered, and at the same time tn
effort closed the body to any intak
Of the supply.
It's worth thinking about.
To Relay Is an Art.
Sometime In the early nlnetleS Sa
Kid Mccoy knock out a fighter name
Billy Stiff. Between the rounds Sti
took the usual rubbing and tanning B
his seconds, but Mccoy OCCASIONAL
substituted a system of deep breathir
and relaxation as he stood by Il
ropes. believe he was the first figh
er 20 spar with open palms, closir
his fists only as he struck. l reca
some interviews In which he was quo
ed as saying that he conserved h
strength by that manner, being r
laxed when sparring and tenslng |
only for n blow. The fact was tn
strength flowed into him in those m
ments Of relaxing as it flows into @
OF us. The big cats are instructive
TINT respect. It's wonderful to watt
their complete relaxation In most at
tudes. Children, too, have the qualit
Great peace is with us only whit
we are completely relaxed. and 81
go" ms II were.
To relax Is somewhat Of an art.