Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-12-30

vtdual. Tho teacher or the parent
who constantly suggests illness Is
actually INJECTING illness on the
child. The individual In any walk
Of life who suggests health is ex-
ercising . health influence on all
his fellows.
The public health authorities are
reading . new meaning into some
Of the old stories in the physiolo-
gies.
1t was . hundred years ago that
certain scientific gentlemen in
France asked the authorities to al
low them to try an experiment on
. criminal who was condemned to
death. Instead of the guillotine, it
was given out this man was to be
comfortably bled to death. The
ceremony was deliberately staged.
The man was blindfolded and put
to bed. His wrists were bound and
the doctors proceeded to what
seemed to be the opening Of the
arteries Of those wrists. As a mat
ter of fact, the skin was barely
scratched. Then warm water was
poured down the hand to produce
the effect Of fast-flowing blood and
the conversation was about the
gushing OF blood and the waning
strength Of the victim. The doc
tors said that his life was ebbing
away. They were watching him
die. As 4 matter Of fact, the man
did actually die. Yet no had lost
no blood at all, had received no
physical injury. He died because
his mind believed he was going to
die.
This experiment has been told in
textbooks for generations. but it
remained for the goth century to
draw the conclusion from 1t that in
the mental attitude Of the individ-
ual lay q constructive health pos
! sibility.
In one Of the otiices in one Of the
departments of the government
there was Q certain man whose
physical vigor was so great, and
whose boastfulness OF 1t was SO
constant, that his associates were
annoyed and determined to avenge
themselves on him. They arrang-
I'd that first one and then another
should comment on the mans ap-
pearance OF illness. For a week
they kept at him, one asking II he
had not slept, another IL his stom-
ach was wrong, another II he
hadn't fever. By the end Of the
week the man was ut home in bed
with q physician for the first time
In his life.
1t is this power Of suggesting
health and not illness that the bu-
reau Of education wants introduce
ed throughout the school system.
1t sets forth the psychological pos.
sibilities Of the situation. 1t calls
attention to the unquestioned fact
that every girl wants to be beau
tiful. II the girls can be shown
that health is indispensable tc
ibeauty, they will listen more at
tentively to the health talks. II
the idea that the male creature ad.
mires physical fitness in a woman
more than any other quality can be
planted in the feminine mind, a
great advance toward a healthful
womanhood will have been made.
| On the other hand. the boy wants
to be strong. Health is a requisite
to strength. Cleanliness is neces.
sary to health. So are fresh air
Exercise, proper food. regular
/ hours. Cigarets sap the vitality
and keep the boys of the football
eleven, the track team. The boy
can be reached through his desire
for physical prowess.
1 The important thing, says the bu
reau. is to get the hygienic poin
Of view. That this point of view
may BE- given the children 1t i.
necessary that the teachers SHOULD
be imbued with it. The possession
Of the hygienic point Of view is rec
commended as q necessity to the is
suance Of diploma to teach. Thu
anaemic, Ackly teacher whose
4 viewpoint is that Of weakness ant
depression Is coming to be recog
nized In the school room as some
thing little less obnoxious than thu
plague.
The psychology Of exhuberan
spirits and Astounding good health
} should be taught in the schools
The old Greek idea Of a sound bod.
!. and . sound mind should become
|. an American ideal Of the 10th cen
J fury. The drive is on through thu
J public schools that . generation o
men and women may be reared tina
will drive the old dragon Of feal
and pessimism from the homes o
the nation,