388 HEALTH. 



to his first reflections on the human frame, and the means of render- 

 ing it hardy.* On another occasion, when suffering from rheuma- 

 tism in the arm, he instinctively rapped the part with a ruler 

 which he held in his hand, and found that he cured the pain : this 

 natural experiment, it is said, was the occasion of Kinesipathy. 



This art consists in applying external motions, passive and active 

 exercise, to the body; and in rendering these so special as to operate 

 on the various inward organs, or on parts of them specifically. Pos- 

 ture, friction, percussion, motion, are all made use of; and already 

 as many as two thousand different movements have been devised for 

 the purpose of operating upon the failing powers within. There are 

 languages of nudges, to remind brain, liver, spleen, and all, of their 

 neglected duties. The effects produced approve the plan, and stamp 

 it as an art and science. It is admonition, contact, exercise, pur- 

 sued into details, whereby disease is literally handled. 



Perhaps there is no malady but tends in some way to alter the 

 bearing, posture or general status of the body. In acute cases this 

 is plain. We groan, writhe, wriggle, wince, shake, crawl, creep, 

 dance, and so forth, with our agonies and discomforts, showing that 

 disease ,is a complete posture master and very good serjeant, whose 

 drill is for the purpose of relief and cure. Very small areas of dis- 

 ease have corresponding to them large movements in the system; 

 and if we understood the movements, we could by reaction play upon 

 the parts and particles of the organs. If a special wince or twist 

 arises primarily out of some one place, then by comprehending the 

 twist, and producing it artificially, we get at that place exactly, were 

 it no bigger than a pin's head. Here is precise gunnery — hitting 

 disease with a fine arrow. Again there are instinctive movements 

 of the hands towards afflicted parts of our frames. We rub ourselves 

 with organic pity like dumb animals where the deep flesh is ill. 

 This is nature working for us, and showing us the beginning of a 

 manual science of soothing, traction, nudging, and so forth, the detail 

 of which is Mnesipathy . 



We have been greatly struck with the common sense which dic- 

 tated the Lingian art, and with the excellent unexpected results 



* Allerbom : Intrudes Tal i Svenska Ai-ademien, p. 21. 



