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Take off the Brakes
The writer saw an incident on Main street, Davenport, Iowa,
which caused much ill-humor, amusement and some instruction
to the I crowd which witnessed it. Human Nature, the quality
of which depends upon education, was shown by each one presenting
his peculiar idea of the situation and his suggestions. Main
street is paved with brick and is quite steep between Sixth
and Eighth. A crowd of idle men had gathered on the street
to watch a stalled team. I, of course, joined them. The horses
were once full of life and vigor, but now they are thin of
flesh, showing want of care and lack of ambition. They are
hitched to a good wagon, which contained a heavy load. They
had gone half way up the hill, but could go no further. The
driver did not know what course to pursue. Several of the
bystanders were eager to assist him with their counsel. Their
varied suggestions only served to confuse him. The reader
will notice closely the advice given, for it will be made
use of hereafter. The first instruction was to apply the
whip; which was used unsparingly. It excited and aroused
what energy they had left, but only worried them without
any gain. The next order given and acted upon was to back
down the hill, so as to give them a new start. This was tried,
with the result that they were not able to make as far up
the grade as before. A professional-looking man then said, “Blindfold
the horses, shake the wagon, throw something heavy on the
pavement; make them believe that you have unloaded. If they
think the wagon is empty, they will pull it up the hill easily.
But, try as hard as they might, they could not pull the load.
The next man to offer advice was a clerk from a nearby drug
store. He thought the axles and wheels needed oiling; that
the wheels were tired instead of the horses. A supply of
oil was secured and applied to the axles and wheels plentifully,
which seemed to make the wagon more inclined to slide down
the hill. Then there appeared in the front of the crowd a
seeming wise fellow who looked as though he was a graduate
from some college or a president of some hospital board.
He argued the case as follows: “No team on earth can
pull that load’; there is too much wagon, make it as
light as possible, take off the spring seat, take out the
end-gate and all the loose rods, saw out half the spokes,
for they are crowding each other; take off the tires, for
they only serve to make extra weight; the fewer pieces you
have in the wagon the more easily it will move.” But,
fortunately, before the well-dressed man’s advice was
put in action, there appeared a practical farmer who took
in the situation at a glance. He spoke in a mild tone, but
what he said carried force and was convincing. He said: “Let
that wagon remain whole, not one piece of it can be spared
at this time when it is so loaded. Wipe off that surplus
oil; throw the whip in gutter; cease to blindfold the horses.” When
this was done, he calmly said to the driver, “Now take
off the brake.” It was released. The team made the
top of the hill with the usual speed and ease. The farmer
was heard to say, “That is easy to do when you know
how.” The crowd dispersed, being benefited more or
less by the experience. This may seem to the reader a simple
and ridiculous story; but let us see if there are not incidents
in our daily life fully as ludicrous and absurd. Please observe
that woman with pale, hollow cheeks and sunken eyes. A few
years ago her cheeks were plump and full of color, her eyes
sparkled with ambition. She is trying her best to climb the
incline of life. She has her burden to carry as the most
of women have, but that which used to be comparatively play
is now a load she cannot move. She is discouraged and disheartened.
Physically and mentally she has not the strength accomplish
her usual labor, and yet she does not realize what is holding
her back. Under all circumstances Human Nature is very much
alike. Human sympathy is manifested and advice freely given
to the afflicted in much the same way as was manifested in
the crowd referred to on Main street. Strangers as well as
acquaintances are ready, willing and eager to advise this
frail woman what to do. Some recommend stimulants of various
kinds to whip up the circulation and excite the already overworked
woman. A well-meaning friend advises some kind of physic
that will deplete her system, thinking it necessary for her
to get away down in order to make permanent improvement.
Some advise narcotics to deaden the sensibility of the physical;
others suggest therapeutics or Christian Science, for the
purpose of making her believe that she has no disease. None
of these really assist the invalid, for they do not release
the brake. There are those who will advise blistering, bleeding
or lubricating the body with liniments, just to be doing
something, for what purpose they know not. Sooner or later
the wise men are called in. With ready hands and sharpened
knives they desire to cut out any or all parts that they
think can be spared, believing that the less organs that
the blood has to support and pass through, the purer it will
be. But, thanks to the sensible farmer (Chiropractor), who
realizes that there is a cause for all human ailments, and
dares to say it in the presence of those standing by, who
advise therapeutical remedies, “Take off the brake.” We
think it strange that no one in the crowd at the wagon thought
of taking off the brake. It looks equally strange to a Chiropractor
that until twenty-five years ago, no one discovered that
a brake is set on some one of the 300 articular joints of
the body, compressing the nerves, thereby deranging their
functions. If, by any means, the articular surfaces of any
of the joints of the skeletal frame, especially those of
the vertebral column, become displaced by being wrenched,
go to a Chiropractor, who will take off the brake. The Old
School idea of disease is, that it is an enemy that has to
be fought, conquered, banished; while Chiropractic kindly
says. “Take off the brake—remove the pressure—and
health is your compensation.”
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