S6 HORSE-BACK RIDING. 



beg him to employ any means to save them ; invari- 

 ably believing that he does not do for them all that 

 he can, or that may possibly be done, they finally be- 

 come imbued with the idea that their malady is in- 

 curable. Finally, they endeavor, by the perusal of 

 medical works, to determine for themselves the 

 nature of their ailments ; not understanding what 

 they read, or interpreting it badly, they finally reach 

 the conclusion that their body is a sort of a patho- 

 logical museum. Indeed, they believe that they have 

 not one but ten diseases, and sometimes more. 



Some forms of hypochondria, where at the same 

 time there co-exist disorders of the organic life, and 

 mental disorders which border on aberration, are, we 

 well know, very rebellious to treatment. 



Here it is of the utmost importance that the suf- 

 ferer be led to forget in some pursuit of pleasure his 

 trouble, to restore the muscular strength and to aid 

 the digestive powers. Can we not do these far better 

 by exercise on horse-back than by drugs ? 



When not contra-indicated by disease of the uri- 

 nary organs, horse-back riding is the remedy for this 

 form of hypochondria. It shows to the patient his 

 strength ; it does not remind him several times a day, 

 as ordinary medicines would, that he is a sufferer, but, 

 on the contrary, makes him forget, while on horse- 

 back at least, his sufferings. 



Besides, it exerts a very beneficial influence upon 

 the digestive apparatus, and thus overcomes the dys- 



