Page 210 - Napoleon Hill Think and Grow Rich Full Book | Success Learned

because it leads one closely to the border of "terrible worlds" of which man knows
not, but concerning which he has been taught some discomforting stories. The
opinion is somewhat general, also, that certain unethical people engaged in the
business of "selling health" have had not a little to do with keeping alive the fear
of ill health.

In the main, man fears ill health because of the terrible pictures which have been
planted in his mind of what may happen if death should overtake him. He also
fears it because of the economic toll which it may claim.

A reputable physician estimated that 75% of all people who visit physicians for
professional service are suffering with hypochondria (imaginary illness). It has
been shown most convincingly that the fear of disease, even where there is not
the slightest cause for fear, often produces the physical symptoms of the disease
feared.

Powerful and mighty is the human mind! It builds or it destroys. Playing upon
this common weakness of fear of ill health, dispensers of patent medicines have
reaped fortunes. This form of imposition upon credulous humanity became so
prevalent some twenty years ago that Colliers' Weekly Magazine conducted a bit-
ter campaign against some of the worst offenders in the patent medicine busi-
ness.

During the "flu" epidemic which broke out during the world war, the mayor of
New York City took drastic steps to check the damage which people were doing
themselves through their inherent fear of ill health. He called in the newspaper
men and said to them, "Gentlemen, I feel it necessary to ask you not to publish
any scare headlines concerning the v flu' epidemic. Unless you cooperate with me,
we will have a situation which we cannot control." The newspapers quit publish-
ing stories about the "flu," and within one month the epidemic had been success-
fully checked.

Through a series of experiments conducted some years ago, it was proved that
people may be made ill by suggestion. We conducted this experiment by caus-
ing three acquaintances to visit the "victims," each of whom asked the question,
"What ails you?

You look terribly ill." The first questioner usually provoked a grin, and a noncha-
lant "Oh, nothing, I'm alright," from the victim. The second questioner usually

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was answered with the statement, "I don't know exactly, but I do feel badly." The
third questioner was usually met with the frank admission that the victim was