The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-10-15
BRAIN WORK.
People DO not Die from Too much of il.
AnnlatOn's

Appleton's Journal.
A favorite theme with the editors of So
| called health journals and household med
zeal guides is that of g over-work," +" and so
| much has been written on this subject and
OF such a nature, that, were we to believe
and act upon the advice thus given, the
world would become almost a hive of
| drones. We confidently believe that 81
| far as honest brain work goes, the more
we do of it the better and, if owing to a
reckless disregard of recognized hygienic
and sanitary laws, an occasional stud
ent finds an early grave, let the blame
be put where it belongs, and not credited
TO the worthy zeal that some call cover
work" Having long held to this opin-
ion, and believing that facts would sus-
tain us, we are gratified to find that an
eminent English physiciGn has given eX-
preston to a like view, and, coming as it
does from one so high in authority, we
trust it will receive the attention from
both students and drones that it deserves.
We condense from DIR. Wilk's communi-
cation, as it appears in the Lancet, as fol-
lows:
After answering the simple question
" Are people suffering from overwork ?"
with a decided No?' the writer says
" Medically speaking, | sec half dozen
persons suffering from want of occupa-
tion to one who is crippled by his lahors.
Very often when a business man COM
plains Of being overdone; it may be found
that his meals are irregular and hurried,
and that he takes no exercise, is rather
partial to brandy-and- soda, and thinks it is
not improper to poison himself with mic
Otinc every night and morning.
Passing from man to woman, the case
is made to appear even more severe. 1t
is not OverwOrk, therefore, that is to he
deprecated, provided the work is legiti-
mate, and such as to claim a normal eX-
ercisc of the functions. The brain is an
engine of many horse power; its energy
must be accounted for in some way; if
not used for good purposes it will be for
bad, and Mischief will be found for idle
hands to do" SO the work is actually
safeguard. The human body is made
for work, and just as the muscles are bet
ter prepared for work by previous train
ing, so the nervous system, whether it be
the brain or spinal column, becomes more
cncrgized by use.
1t is only during sleep that the brain
is actually inactive, and hence, if we
will not give it work to do, it will find
that to engage its energy, even though
in the end the labor is proftless After
referring in a plain though hardly gentle |
manner to the men and women whom
the trivoities of life sadly busy" the !
writer contrasts them with those whose |
minds are never at rest, and yet who |
live to a good old age. As the closing |
passages are not only truthful as to facts,
but of value by the'suggestions they con |
tain, we are prompted to quote them at |
length, and should there be among our |
readers some of these Overworked "
brain-workers, they will find in these |
words sage counsel and encouragement.
The writer refers to the honest, cheerful, |
but constant workers as follows: Prac-
tically they have no rest, for, when one
object of study is complete, they COM
mcnce another. 1t is by the happy fac
ulty of diyerting the powers into indii-
Ierent channels that this is accomplished.
Instances might easily be quoted of
judges, and members of our
profession, who know no absolute rest,
md who would smile mt the suspicion of
hard work injuring any man. | make it
4 custom to ask young men what their
second occupation Is, what pursuit have
they besides their bread-earniDg employ
ment. Those are happiest who possess
some object of interest, but | am 50 ry
10 say there are few who find delight in
my branch of science. The purely sci
1ntific man finds his best recreation in
literature and arts, but even in intellect
nal work 50 many different faculties are
employed that pleasant diversion is
ound in simply changing the kind of la
Dor. For example, ajudge after sitting all
lay and giving his closest attention to the
letaiIs of the cases before him, may yet
ind relief in his evenings by solving
in mathematics. The subjecl
If overwork, then, is one of the greatest
Importance to study, and has to be dis
,usscd daily by all Of us, My own opin-
on has already been expressed, that the
wills attending it'on the community at
arpp nrp vastly over estimated