, 1880-12-12
PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY,

| Lecture by DR.. ]. $. Jewell.
! At the meeting Of the Philosophical Society
| last evening I)r. ]. S. Jewell read q paper OIL
\ 'The influence of Our Present Civilization on
the Production OF Nervous and Mental Dis
cases." The lecturer first Of all defined the
! scope Of his subject. showing that tho phrase
| nervous and mental disease" must be taken
| IL wider sense than is customarily given to it.
| Hnd mental diseases are relatively, as well rs
| actually. increased as one OF the necessary con-
sequences Of an u ndxaneed cyization RI As proofs @
audience first of all. to the fact that an advance
in civilization implied, regards the individual,
belongs to the half civilized or savage. He said
! that one Of the cLief results Of the cultivation
Of the individual under high state Of civiliza-
/ ton. is to Widen and refine nerve sensibifity.
| This Implies the capacity for greater range
and acuteucss of pleasure. and side by side with
and, hence, greater susceptibilty in vnrioas
ways to disease. Passing from this phase OF his
| subject the lecturer next pointed out the bad
lectual and physical occupations. especially
characteristic Of high as compared with low
example under this head, the educational insti-
tuttons OF the country. from the common schools
up to our universities He alleged that, as they
are conducted at present, large number OF
those in attendance are systematically exhausted
or in various wuys become the subjects Of ncrv-
taxing during. student life. While he admitted
through their educational course, he yet
on account Of too prolonged courses
OF study, confinement for too many hours a
day. in ill-ventilated and irnperfectly- -hcatcd
school rooms and the practice or studying late
at nght,-in these and other ways arast mum.
ber of young persons annually become affected
with nervous and mental disorders as the plain
outcome of ifl-rcgulated study.
The lecturer next directed attention to the Ill
men. which, he affirmed was relatively more
common in the present advanced rs compared
with more primitive form of civilization: Tho
standards Of attainnents were said to be higher,
and difficulties in the way of professional sue
cess, and the rewards Of professional labor SO
much greater, In the present as compared with
earlfer Times, as to lead vast numbers to over
work, and thus experience Its many fold Hire
suits. What Is true for the professions is de-
control aud bear the responsibilities OF largo
commercial aud financial concerns. The lect-
urer said it was no wonder that with the in
centives to and effect. ct oyerwork among our
business men there is SO much to be seen
in the way Of exhausted and shattered nervous
ystems He said 1t is not SO much work, per
nervous system. He cited the enormous in
crease in speculation. which, he said. had & ex-
even the churches had not escaped Its influence.
1t included all ranks and conditions III society.
The ospendng u The onS1e
prolific sources Of nerve and mental disease,
Attention was next directed to the i'll effects Of
tho use and abuse Of srmulants and sedntives,
especially the former. This source OF nervous
and mental disease WAS said to he greatly on the
increase. As special examples under this point |
Of view. the lecturer pointed out coffee and tea
Both were said to be pure nerve stin1ulnnts,
Their action is to excite and finally to weaken, |
not to calm or strengthen, the nervous SYSTEM
Hundreds of thousands OF persons in this coun- |
try were declared to bo Kept. in a moderate wAy,
with impaired health as the result of the use or
like tobacco, were briefly discussed In their ren-
tons to the question ut issue
Next in order the lecturer discussed the effect |
an mo
cialization of labor, both physical and mental.
in unluly cultiyating certain limited parts OF
the nervous system, thus destroying the gym
Retry of nerve development. and IN thls WY,
nervous system. 1t was declared. many nervous
and mental diseases were produced AS IN
stances, tho lecturer cited telegrapn1,ng , piano.
I'LL said to give rise to certain forms OF dlscasc.
The lecturer then referred briefly to the effect
Of various artificial nss+b ct reeSo Ely
conclusion that they were all more or less dele
terious. |
and The lower animals. It was asserted that tho
lower animals we're seldom affected with nervous,
utmost never with mental, disease. This fact
on vide dlnerence ~ me 9t ar.
GUS system of man, rs compared Will toe lower
animals |
and children, in which It was said that children
Tnreiv become insane. This arises largely from
the fact that the structure and modes OF acuon
the brain IN children are ess sneeazeda thao aao
Is true for adults u,o.o,
by reference to hered'ty as one or tao LES
operating 70 increase nervous and menta! as
.tlse. IT other causes increase or nnitlply Suc1
lisprders. to heredity Was delegated the TASK OF
perpetuat:ng it from one generanon 10 toose
which succeed it,
pafncll,s K7onlc.Life.