Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-01-14
Chlldren's Nerves.

On the street the other day VIC saw A
frettul mother roughly shaking aud child.
ing, for being $50 cross a sensitive
child who shrank in nervous terror from
the harsh blast Of toy trumpet, sounded
in his car by Jolly little urchin, who
evidently had intended TO give pleasure,
not pain. The frightened child, with pale
face, trembling lips and pathetic little
suppressed SOB, struggled manfully TO
conquer his nerves and his wounded
heart. "Cross" was clearly the very last
word that should have been applied to the
suffering little fellow, whose nerves were
set a.tremble for mt least one whole day
not so much by the shock of the discordani
blast, which afew kind words might have
sOOthed away, as by the subsequent
rough handling and roughcr tones Of
his mother and by his own very great
effort at self-command.
OF course, the cruelty of this mother
was unconscious, but not, on that account,
much the less culpablc. 1t should be the
business Of those who have the care OF
children not only to see that they have
| proper food and clothing, but also 10
study their characters, dispositions and
nerves. Notwithstanding the attention
that scientific physicians are now paying
TO the nervous system, we cannot yet ex.
| pect TO know the reasons why a noise, an
odor, atouch, that is innocuous to most, TO o
lew may cause terror, or pain, or faintness
or death. Yet by observation we may find
| out what affects unpleasantly the nerves OF
the child intrusted to our care, and by
avoiding as far rs possible exposing It to
the cause of its nervous fears or irritation,
and by gently soothing it when such ex.
posure Is unavoidable, gradually inure its
nerves to bear with fortitude the painful
excitement.
In this way we have known nervous
antlpathies to be overcome when a con-
trary course would have produced serious
consequences, perhaps even death
A little girl whom we knew was thrown
almost into convulsions at the sight of a
dog or cat. The parents would not al
low either animal to be about their prem
ises; and with equal good sense would
never permit the child's terrors to be
spoken of in her presence. If by chance,
one of the obnoxious animals approached
her, she was always taken up rs by &C
cident, and her attention diverted. After
time she gained courage enough to look
at the causes of her terror, when their
beauties and good qualities were pointed
out TO her, though she was never asked to
be young woman, conspicuous for her
tondness for all animals, and especially
for dogs and cats. Had her parents ab.
ruptly attempted to make her conquer her
antipathy, its impression would, in all
probability, have been SO deepened that
she could never have risen above it. in
similar case, of which we have been
told, the child died In convulsions, in
duced by being compelled to touch a
horse, the object of its nervous terror. On
the other hand, by weakly humoring such
fears, talking about them in the presence
of those subject to them, and thus allow
ing or leading their minds 10 dwell upon
them, the unfortunatcs may he all their
lives subject to the bondage of an unrca-
soning terror
A striking instance of the danger of
disregarding a nervous dread Is related in
the memoir of Charles Mayne Young. A
young gentleman had been appointed at
tache to the British Legation at st. Peters
burg. On his arrival at that capital he
was congratulated by the Ambassador on
being in time to witness the celebration Of
grand fete, and invited to accept in the
great church a seat among those reserved
for the Ambassadorial party. Though, in
such cases, an invitation is equivalent to
command, the attache begged to be ex.
cuscd. Being pressed for his reasons, he
gave them with much reluctance.
"There will be martial music" he said,
land have an insuperable objection to
the sound Of drum. 1t gives me tor
lures that cannot describe, My respira-
tion becomes so obstructed that it seems
to me that must die"
The Ambassador laughed, saying that
he should esteem himself culpable if he
allowed his attache to yield to a weakness
so silly, and commanded him to be present
at the .tete.
On the day appointed all were in their
places, when suddenly was heard the clang
of martial music and the beat of the great
drum. The Ambassador, with ironical
smile, turned to see the effect upon the
young hypochondrac. The poor fcl.
low was upon the floor quite dead On a
post-mortem examination it appeared that
the shock to his finely-strung nervous or
ganization had caused a rupture of one of
the valves of the heart.
If then, as we see, the adult with every
reason for subduing nervous anlipathies,
apparentlyso unreasonable and ridiculous,
finds it impossible TO do so, how can a
little child be expected to control or ex.
plain them ?--Scrihner's Monthly.