HOW HEALTH DOES ITS WORK 55 



ment. Their view, with slight modifications, coincides exactly 

 with that to which we are led by a study of health. 



In concluding this chapter we may well restate this view of the 

 business man with the modifications suggested by our stud}^ of 

 liealth. At certain times, says the business man, a wave of opti- 

 mism goes over the community. Many men feel that now is the 

 time for an advance. It is time for the railroad in which they 

 are interested to double-track a new section, run a spur to a new 

 manufacturing town, and improve the stations. Others say it is 

 time to build a factory, boom a neglected mining property, open 

 a new chain of drug stores, or make a market for a new brand of 

 baking powder. One man's optimism, so it is said, communicates 

 itself to another, and thus the idea of expansion is "in the air." 

 Our study of health makes us believe that this phrase "in the 

 air" is literally true. Because the air has certain qualities which 

 we shall examine in the next chapter, good health prevails. Not 

 only does the deathrate drop to a low level, but sicknesses are rare, 

 people do not suffer so much as usual from colds and headaches, 

 and those who are well have a feeling of strength and buoyancy. 

 We all know that feeling, and we know that it makes us hospitable 

 to new ideas. The ideas that have been floating in men's minds 

 seem more feasible than formerly, the difiiculties do not seem so 

 formidable. Hence one man here and another there makes a final 

 decision which may have been hanging fire for a long time. Thus 

 a long train of circumstances is set in motion. 



Consider your own case. Your financial, social, and moral 

 condition may be exactly the same at two different times. Yet 

 at one time you lie awake at night and wonder whether you can 

 ever pull through. Something that cannot happen for a year — 

 and that may not happen then — seems like a mountain of diffi- 

 culty. You get up in the morning, determined to play your part 

 perhaps, but dull and hopeless. No, you are not sick. You 

 believe that your judgment is as good as ever, but something is 

 wrong — ^with the world. A few months later everything is dif- 



