I have to say I always thought it was a health promotion equivalent of an
urban myth.

Vicki

At 10:21 1/04/99 +1000, you wrote:
>Hi Health Promoters
>
>I'm looking for the original source of the popular health promotion story
>that is told about two villages by a river.  It goes something like
>this.....
>
>The villagers from the downstream settlement noticed one day that bodies
>were floating down the river.  At first there were one or two, then more
>and more, until the villagers were spending all their time diving into the
>river to rescue the bodies and resuscitate them if they could.
>
>After some weeks of this, the villagers noticed some of their community
>members walking away, following the river upstream.  The rescuers were
>angry and called to those people who were walking away to stay and help.
>One of the travellers replied 'You can spend all your lives pulling these
>people out.  We're going up stream to see if we can stop them falling in.'
>
>It's a good story, hey?  I've read that it was written by Maccoby of the
>Stanford Heart Program - but that is the only detail that I have.  Can you
>refer me to an original source or provide me with any more detail?
>
>Thanks.
>
>>From Monica Bensberg
>
>Department of Human Services
>122 Thomas Street
>Dandenong 3175
>Victoria Australia
>Ph: 9213 2055
>Fax: 9213 2160
>
>
Vicki and Paul
29 Canberra St North Mackay
Qld 4740
07 4957 6699 (phone/fax)
0418 672 605