The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-10-06
BRAIN WORK.
From the London Civilian ]

from the London ClVilan.I
Immense numbers of skilled mechanics
work in large and well-ventiated shops, anu
their labor, though calling for serious muscular
exertion, involves no undue tax on the system.
A laboring man at the end OF days toll may
find the Tsslk home an irksome If not palnlM
task: but he is certain OF perfect and unbro.
ken sleep. and rises in the morning refreshed
tor the toll OF the day. The Journalist 100
often tolls at night, sometimes in o close I'm
healthy atmosphere, and unfortunately his
work Is of such nature that ne cannot, Wnen
1t Is finished, lay aside his tools and all thought
of his special anXieties at will. He lays an eX.
cited and oyerworked head on his pillow, and
begins anew the labors Of the day, or, in spite
of his utmost effo1ts to the contrary, works
out some difficult problem Which has been
suggested by the events OF the hour. His rest
Is frequently broken, and when the mind is
not running devils dance OF its own accord
through all the mazes of literature or politics,
he is often obliged to sleep over question
which requires more thought than usual.
The mind possesses q curious faculty which
medical men call ''unconscious cerebration."
The brain appears occasionally to 90 It's work
automatically and without the aid OF the Will;
is clear when we have ''slept overit;' and so
well are some men acquainted with lnis pect,-
liar fsculty of the mind that they commonly,
when possible, sleep over difficult subject,
leaving the practlced and trained intellect to
unravel tnc tangled threads OF an argument
and arrangc the mass of material into order
and symmetry. This unconscious cerebra-
tion," however, involves mental toll, and he
who sets the willing organ to perform task of
this kind usually pays the penalty next day IN
languor, debility, and a host OF kindred evils
"Happy is he,r says Wendell Holmes,
s!whose feet are ice, and whose head burns
when In the throes OF composition. Happy,
rhon in q clever
essayist merely meant that no real mental toll
is properly performed without these symptoms
being apparent in the victim. But does it not
occur to the most cursory thinker that phe-
nomena Of this description, repeated daily,
must In the long run tell upon the general
health We have known writer's who, when
they had risen from their tasks-poor pale
faced fellows ordinarily-looked positively
ruddy and bloated, while lhe veins of the
forehead were gorged with blood. They were
always the dashing scribes of the press-men
who could throw of" column In an hour,
and who never cared to make any material
alterations in their proofs" They were the
men with fluent pens-so dear to editors-who
could always be counted upon to sum up u
debate at three In the morning, or write at
need when any casualties had reduced the lit
erary staff We never knew these writers to be
long-liyed men; they were commonly stricken
down at d comparatively early period IN LIE,
Wucu, WILL plOpCl SolSs q iaoH3 W Nouhe
upon many years OF health and strength. And
1t was always the same deadly foes which cut
them down-e ther apopleXy or paralysis, the
twin iends that haunt men who labor with the
brain. Sometimes consumption steps in and
does its cruel work, as in recent case, when
brilliant essayist fell in his prime. and with
mental power untouched, before the terrible
destroyer OF British youth. But whatever the
immediate cause Of death, brain labor is usually
the first originator of disease. Driven to its daily
toll, and compelled to work OF all hours, the
over-e1erted organ either absorbs the general
powers OF the system, or gives way without
warning under the unequal strain.
Few writer's bear to reflect on these truths,
and II the mind performs its task with its won't
ed power, they put off the evil day, and care
nothing for the future. Or a Journalist will
>comp!dcently contemplate any danger 1hich
may lie in tine distance, If ne Is certain for the
present 10 escape from what, for the want of a
better name, we have called the paralysis Of
the pen. Every writer will understand what
we r.eal, and may have groaned over this,
the most trying OF the small evils which beset
mankind. Whether paralysis Of the pen be the
precursor OF more serious evils belinda 81
aent but eloquent protest agaist over-work-
ne know not; but, whatever its cause. it is q |
malady which Is worthy of q passing allusion.
The symptoms are usually painful enough. and
the disease may be summed up In a word.
The writer finds himself suddenly. and without
adj aren't cause, unable ~ I'm single line
For the moment he imagines himself para