The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-14
THE BRAIN And THE BODY.
"Does Brain Work Shorten Life"
T. NJ. S. RHE1

The Providence Journal discusses this sub
ject in very able and sensible manner 1t
gives the following interesting facts to prove
that men in our country are not killing them
selves with too much brain work. 1t says:
In the first place, there is good reason for
doubling, or at any rate there is no good pre- u
that mental Diseases or diseases Of the brain,
are more prevalent in this than In other coul-
tries. 1t Is generally thought so, and 1t may
possibly be true; but the only proof of 1t that
can be given is general impression that 1t Is
go. an impression whose only foundation Is
general Inference from few facts, the very
weakest Of all proof.
But there is important evidence upon inc
subject. which Is available. 1t is the average
are of those who die in various occupations
and professions in this country. In the state
of Massachusetts these records have been kept
for TWENTY-FIVE wears, 80 that the number OIL
facts has become sufficient to make the re-
suits important and valuable as evidence.
We find. In the report for 1867, that in twen-
ty-iive years nearly the deaths OF 3o66 probes
sionaI men had been reported, with an average
a@c of so. s wears, and 1856 merchants, tinan-
ci1rs arents. &c, with an average OF 4S.5
years These averages are greater than those
of any other class, except farmers and me-
chanics working in the open air. The average
ane of active mechanics in shops Is 47.9 years;
of Inactive mechanics in shops, 43 years; OF
laborers 46.S years; of factors laboring abroad,
34.2 wears; of persons employed on the ocean,
45'5 Years: of females, 38.7 years; Of farmers,
642 years, and of active mechanics WorhiuS Ill
open air, 5l.2 years.
There is nothing here to indicate that brain
labor shortens life, and when we look at the
individual professions the proof is still more
marked. Thus the average of those who died
in some of the most important professions and
OCCUPATIONS, was rs follows Bankers, 54.
wears: bank officers, 54.8 years; merchants,
So years; booksellers, 6o.5 years; clersvineIl,
LAWYERS. SCI years; physicians, 56 years; pro-
frssors sc wears; and public officers, 54.5 years
THE AVERAGE are of the whole number OF
ncrsons who died in the twenty-five years,
whose occupatons were specified, was sos
wears. II seems, then, that bankers, mer-
chants. clergymen, judges, lawyers, physI'
clans and professors live longer than the aver
age of all classes of occupations, and very
mich longer than laborers or inactive me-
chanics working in shops. Neither the hurry
and excitement of bankers and merchants, uol
the severe mental labor of clergymcn, Judges
and LAWYERS, seem to shorten their lives. In
fact il Will be noticed that the three profes
sions last named, whose occupation is wholly
brain labor. and of the most severe descrip
ton, arc the very highest on the list OF aver
age ages. -,.-,-,.
II IS probable that some merchants injure
themselves from too much devotion to, anC
more especialy from too much anxiety about
their business: and it is possible that some
times a student or professional man may In
Iure himself by severe mental labor In thi:
! country, though We cannot recall q well au
thenticated case of the kind.
The truth is we have but few hard stuaent'