Civics and HealthAllen, William H. (WIlliam Harvey)
Science
Civics and Health
Allen, William H. (WIlliam Harvey)
Hygiene; Public health
Quacks often get social and economic results more agreeable to the
patient and more helpful to society than orthodox medicine. "When
traitors become numerous enough treason becomes respectable." So when
mental hygiene succeeds, it becomes science for the case in question,
and for that case orthodox medicine loses its respectability. For the
layman there is no safety except in having intelligence enough to know
whether his trouble has defied the sincere application of mental
treatment, auto-suggestion, and loyalty to the health ideal.
Mental hygiene admits the existence of dental cavities, scarlet fever
germs, adenoids, cross-eyes, uncleanliness, broken legs, inflamed eyes,
overeating. The organic, structural defects which are to be sought by
physical examination are all admitted by mental hygienists. They work
for an orderly, daily routine and affirm the penalties of its
violation. They would even favor going periodically to a physician,
provided that we never go to him except when organic or structural
disorders may safely be assumed from the fact that cheer and relaxation
treatment does not give relief. Unhygienic living and mind cure cannot
go together. The mind that tries to deceive itself cannot cure either
mind or body. The man who violates the habits of health cannot patch
his injuries or conceal the ravages of dissipation by mental hygiene.
Here is the great advantage of knowing how to live hygienically, of
observing habits of health, and then concerning ourselves not with
ourselves, but with conditions of living for all those whose health can
be affected by our health, or can affect our health and efficiency.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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