Word: biorhythms
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...biorhythm craze grew from the mystic speculations of Wilhelm Fliess, a colorful Berlin doctor who was Sigmund Freud's closest friend for more than a decade. A nose and throat specialist, Fliess is best known for his belief that the nose is responsible for many neurotic and sexual ailments, which are curable by applying cocaine to what he called the "genital spots" of the nasal membrane. Fliess published books and essays of impenetrable mathematics, all revolving around his mystic numbers, 23 (representing the masculine or physical principle) and 28 (representing the feminine, emotional principle and presumably based...
Such shaky origins apparently do not bother true believers. Actress Julie Newmar is convinced. Jackie Gleason checks his charts before an important engagement, and Gil Brandt, vice president of the Super Bowl-champion Dallas Cowboys, is also convinced that biorhythm "has a lot of validity." There are a growing number of adherents on N.F.L. teams. Minnesota Vikings Player Jim Marshall was intrigued when someone pointed out that his classic wrong-way run for a touchdown in 1964 came on a triple...
...charts to interested employees and gives drivers a day off during triple-criticals. An Exxon chemical plant at Baytown, Texas, sends out safety reminders to its 900 employees on triple-critical days. Says a spokesman: "Frankly, I don't know if there's any truth to the biorhythm theory, but we think the program will promote safety awareness." Biorhythm proponents say that hundreds of companies use the charts, but an investigation by National Safety News found that the claim "appears to be widely exaggerated...
...same proponents are pushing airlines to use biorhythm, on the grounds that many air crashes occur because of heavy pressure on crew members on their critical days. Indeed, United Airlines tried biorhythm for a year at a San Francisco maintenance facility, but then dropped it. Bernard Gittelson, a former p.r. man who is now the head of Biorhythm Computers Inc., believes the airlines will soon convert to the cause. Says he: "We are only five years from advertising tag lines like 'Our pilots never fly on critical days...
What else may biorhythm be applied to? Opportunities are limitless, says Pete Callinicos, a captain in the Denver fire department who runs a biorhythm business on the side. Callinicos says the theory can put compatible policemen in squad cars, determine the patterns of arsonists and maybe even prevent birth defects. Another advantage to biorhythm is that it provides extra income for a swelling number of entrepreneurs. With an investment of about $4,000, says Thommen, anybody can rent a bit of computer time and sell 30? charts for $10. In the rush for profits, laments Thommen, some...