Love Is the Healing Power of the Physician

Joseph Rodes Buchanan · Higher Ethics and Devotion Series · 10 pages

A ten-page compilation from Joseph Rodes Buchanan, opened by an abstract and train of thoughts and closing with suggested reading from this series. The frontispiece illustration is by Wendy Videlock.

The argument connects the physical act of breathing with moral condition, and treats music as working on both at once. Songs of a cheering and inspiring character, adapted to the feelings of the patient, together with skilful instrumental music, are described as important aids in healing. The mechanism proposed is thoracic: expansion of the chest through singing, dramatic oration and even conversation is said to bring out the noblest elements of humanity, and since love produces the full inspiration called a sigh, all the higher emotions are held to be literally inspiring — pulmonary elevation assisting emotional and moral elevation. From this Buchanan draws the practical conclusion that spirit-stirring songs are among the most efficient means of ethical culture as well as of thoracic and cerebral development, and his prescription for health and well-being follows. The closing comparison ranks the exercises against one another: singing stands high among hygienic and ethical exercises, but dramatic oration is said to surpass all of them for overall invigoration, with the happy effects visible in leading actors.

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