222 WARFARE IN THE HUMAN BODY 



of the thorny rose bushes and put them in their bed or 

 blankets in order to prevent the spirit returning to its 

 old night quarters. 



When the light that is thrown upon the natural 

 working of the human mind is considered, it seems that 

 the study of anthropology might well be made part, 

 even if a late part, of the training undergone by the 

 student of medicine. The old-fashioned psychology 

 founded on introspection, whicji depends for the imaginary 

 validity of its conclusions on the understanding of 

 words, though still taught, might be dispensed with to 

 the advantage of all concerned. Words alone, as 

 progress is made from one verbal statement to another, 

 inevitably lead to wrong conclusions by the very 

 logical processes that they imply. It was for this reason, 

 this double use among men of science of their own ter- 

 minology and the psychological use of words with all 

 their possibilities of error, that led to experiments on 

 conditioned reflexes. Such work tends to show that 

 all intellectual labour is, in its essence and in actual 

 method, a series of reflexes responding to the peculiar 

 environment of the worker. The study of anthropology 

 may have very far-reaching results on the knowledge 

 not only of ancient practices, but also on the conception 

 of the brain as a mechanism. In all the branches of 

 magic touched on, the fact is seen that mentation acts 

 with astounding regularity, by way of definite irresist- 

 ible reflexes following upon certain definite stimuli. Time 

 and time again, in far distant places between which 

 there has been no possibility of communication, new but 

 similar practices arise. This cannot be explained on any 

 theory but that of the human brain reacting definitely 

 on like stimuli. There is no distinction to be drawn 



