NO ONE DIES IN THIS WARD

I just finished reading an inspirational story from “Positive Thoughts Positive Action” written by Dr. Arnold & Barry Fox M.D.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Doc was a Western Union messenger boy, no one special. But he believed it was his purpose in life to deliver a little bit of joy and optimism to everyone. He carried a pocketful of pieces of paper, on which he had written slogans: Words. Words like “Today is a great day!” and “Keep your chin up!”

They wouldn’t let Doc enroll when WWII broke out but he wanted to help, so he joined the hospital. Not being a doctor, he was frustrated that he could not do more to help. He pushed dead bodies around, roll another soldier off a bed onto a gurney. But he didn’t know how he could stop this. He wanted to cry. Then he remembered he could help with words!

In big letters, he posted a sign that read “NO ONE DIES IN THIS WARD.” Hospital administrators were furious, but doctors and nurses said, “Wait a minute, don’t fire him. It sounds strange, but all the sick and wounded soldiers are sitting up in bed. They’re laughing about it and making bets as to who will live the longest. They look better. Leave it up!”

No one died in that ward. Every new soldier brought into the ward was made to understand that they couldn’t die. They couldn’t, else they break the magic spell. what began as a joke to most people became deadly serious. Everybody knew they must belive, they must make words come true. And they did. The death rate in that ward plummeted. It was an idea.