For many years the cause of cholera was unknown. Theories accounting for the disease ranged from pollution by foul air to one’s elevation above sea level. Even hair color was suggested as a possible culprit…But perhaps one of the most bizarre notions was set fort in a book published in Dublin in 1849. The work of Sir James Murray, a physician, it bore the extraordinary title Electricity as a Cause of Cholera, or Other Epidemics.

How do you think of your body? Is it some kind of monster that may get out of and watched of hand if it isn’t watched? Do you think you are a superman and that nothing could ever go wrong with your body really? Is it a source of endless pleasure? Is it a ‘good runner’, always in good condition? Is it a mystery to you, always doing unexpected things?

It is possible to be quite healthy without knowing about how your body works. But if you know little or your information is wrong, you may worry needlessly about your health. We think that understanding your body helps you to take better care of yourself.

The following activity will help you check some of the ‘facts’ you know about the human body. Maybe you need to ask yourself if you always believed certain things just because you first heard them when you were very young. Where exactly did you get your information from?