The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-01-08
Hearts GyerWorked.

No organ in the body is SO liable
Ito be overworked as the heart
When every other part Of the body
sleeps, it keeps on it's perpetual mo
ton. Every increased effort or ac
ton demands from the heart more
force. A man runs TO catch q train
and his heart heats audibly. He
drinks wine, and the blood rusles
through the reservoir faster than
was ever intended by nature. His
| pulse rises after each course at din
ner. A telegram arrives, and his
heart knocks at his side. And when
any one Of these "excitements' is
ever, he is conscious of correspon-
Iding depression-a sinking or emp
tiness as it is called. The healthy
action of all members ofour frame
depends upon the supply of blood
received from the centra! fountain.
When the hearts action is arres-
ted, the stomach, which requires
from it a large supply of blood, be-
comes enfeebled. The brain, also
waiting for the blood, is Inactive
The heart is a very willing member,
but if it be made to fetch and carry
necessarily it be "put upon,' as
the unselfish member Of a family Of
ten is, it undergoes disorganization
which is equivalent to its rupture.
And this .. disorganization begins too
often nowadays in the hearts Of very
young children. Parents know that
if their sons are to succeed at any Of
those competitive examinations
which have now become so exigent,
high pressure is employed. Hence
young spersons are stimulated to
|ov erwork by reward 8
and punishments. The sight of a
clever boy WHO is being trained for
competition is truly a sad one. The
tprecocious coached up children are
never we'll. q =
Their mental excitement keeps up
a flush, which, like the excitement
caused by strong drink in older chill
dren, looks like health, but has no
relationssto it; in a word, the intern
perance Of education is overstrain-
ing aud breaking their young hearts
II in the school room some hearts
are broken from mental strain, in
the playground and in the gymna
SUM others succumb to physical
strain. ut is no object Of mine,''
said Dr.. Richardson, .''to underrate
the advantages of physical exercise
for the Iyoung; but can scarcely
overrate the danger of those fierce
and competitive exercises which the
world in general seems determined
to applaud. / had the opportunity
4
once in my life Of living near row.
er. He was patient of mine, suf-
fering from. the very form Of induced
heart disease of which I am now
speaking, and he gave me ample
means of studying the conditions Of
many of those whom he trained both
for running and rowing. / found oc-
casion, certainly, to admire the ply
| sique to which his trained men were
brought; the strength of muscle they
attain; the force Of their heart; bu,
the admiration was qualified by the
stern facts of the results" But, in.
deed, it is not by overwork SO much
as by worry ana anxiety that, oul
hearts are disorganized. "Labori
ons mental exercise is healthy, IN.
less it be made anxious by necessa
ry or unnecessary difficulties. Reg
ular mental labor is best carried or
by introducing into itsome variety
!: Business and professional men weal
1 out their hearts by acquiring habits
/ Of express train haste which a little
attention to method would render
unnecessary. -[Chamber's Journal