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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 edition. Excerpt: ...bodies. Any indisposition, not to mention actual diseases, has a tendency to inhibit all initiative. There is no room for doubt that a physical ailment by attracting to itself the attention of the person who is attacked by it, prevents him from giving the proper amount of energy to whatever he may be engaged upon. He thinks about nothing but his malady and quite forgets to take the exercises that would enable him to alter his condition, to change his actions, and even to make over his thoughts. His thoughts above all. Physical well-being has an undeniable influence upon one's mental health. One very rarely sees a sick person who is happy. Even those who are endowed with great force of character lose, under the burden of their sufferings, part of their firmness of soul and of their legitimate ambition. A very scientific force of hygiene is particularly recommended. Excessive measures of any sort must be avoided for various reasons: (1) They are antagonistic to the maintenance of a perfect physical equilibrium. (2) They will inevitably grow to dominate the mind unduly. When we speak of excesses, we intend to include those undertaken in the way of work no less than those which are the outcome of the search for pleasure. Nevertheless we will hasten to add' that these last are much the more to be feared. What can be expected, for instance, from a man who has passed a night in debauchery? Morning finds him a weakling, good for nothing, and incapable of making the slightest effort that calls for energy. He is lucky, indeed, if his excesses have no disastrous results that will destroy his happiness or his good name. The fear of complications that may be the outcome of his gross pleasures soon begins to haunt him and to usurp in his mind the place of...
