The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-16

| health, and II by accident we are at
| tackled by disease, we are certain to
have an infinitely greater chance OF
resisting and of rapid throwing off
the malady by practicing auto-sug-
gestien than If we knew nothing of
its principles. Have you not noticed
this during epidemics2 1t is a we'll
known fact that persons who, in such
| times, go serenely about their bust
ness, not worrying for themselves
and not giving thought to the cpl
demic except to tell themselves that
they are sure not to catch the sick
| ness, are almost always immune and
escape contagion. On the other hand
\ nervous people, frightened by the
cases around them, and allowing
their thoughts to run constantly on
the prevailing malady, are certain
to fall Ill, despite all their precau-
tons. Amazing instances of the
power of suggestion are recorded In
the annals of the faculty Of Paris.
Professor Bouchet relates the follow
ing among many others: An old lady,
after undergoing a desperate surgical
operation, was dying Her son was
due to arrive from India two davs
later. But. humanity speaking, it was
| impossible for her to live SO long.
The method of suggestion was re-
sorted to. She was told that she was
better and that she would see her son
on the morrow. The result was a
complete success. A fortnight later
the old lady WAS still alive. And,
from a medical point of view, that
was a miracle.
Equally miraculous, to all appear
ance, was the case of a man occupy
ing an important position at Nancy
a few years ago. He came to me
suffertrg from sfnuisitis. He had
undergone IL operations, but the ter
rib1e disease continued its rayages.
He was in a horrible condition. phys
tcally and morally. Day and night.
without .intermission the unfortunate
man was tortured by excruciatinr
pains in the head which prevented
him from sleeping. His weakness
was extreme, and his appetite nom
existent. Most of the time he re-
NAMED helpless on sofa. 1 con-
fess that I had little hope of being
able to do anything for him. However.
l took pains to convince him of the
efficacy of suggestion. and though
there seemed to be no amelioration
during five or six sittings, l could
see that the man, sick as he was, had
gained absolute faith In the sound
ness OF the theories I had expounded
to him. He told me he was daily
directing his subconscious mind to
the idea of healing his sickness.
Then, one day he said he believed
that he felt a slight Improvement,
but was not quite sure. 1t was tho
truth. however, and the Improvement
continued. complete cure followed
rapidly. Today that man is perfect
ly healthy, able to work without
fatigue. The discharges from the nose
which occurred daily have ceased.
remember another remarkable
case of collective suggestion
more or. less automatic" this time.
1t happened in the hospital services
of DR.. Renaud in Paris. A new
serum, an alleged cure for tuber-
culosis, had just been discovered. 1t
was tested on the patients. Apparent
ly as result of the injections all
showed an immediate Improvement.
The coughing diminished, and other
symptoms disappeared, and the gem
eral condition of all began to be very
satisfactory. Alas! Shortly after
wards it became known that the
famous serum from which the patient
unconseiously hoped SO much was
nothing but an ordinary drug which
had been previously tested with neg
dliNe lesuANSs al once with the fad
ing away of their illusions, the sick
men and women lost all the improve
ment gained. and their old symptoms
reappeared.
Miracles happen in our time. as
they have done in the past. 1 mean
the things that are called miracles.
For. of course, there is no such thing
as miracle. The modern miracle
is worked by auto suggestion, the
wonderful force entrusted to us by
nature, and which. If we will only
probe its mysteries, shall make us
all-powerful within the limits of
human possibilities. Fatality, fatalIsm
shall lose their meaning; nay, they
cannot exist. save in our erring mag
nation. For it Is we ourselves who,
alone shall shape our destinies, rising
always above the external circum-
stances and conditions which from
time to time may be thrown across
our paths.