Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-07
Nervous PrOstratiOn.

There Is no disease so insidicus nor when
fully developed so difficult to cure as that
species of nervous degeneration or exhaus-
tion produced by night work. or long hours.
1t is easy to understand how such q state Of
prostration may be induced. The brain and
the nervous system have been very aptly
compared to a galvanic battery IN constant
use to provide supply Of electric fluid for
consumption within a given time. Gas
long" says recent writer, "as supply and
demand are fairly balanced, the functions
winch owe their regular and correct work
ing TO the fluid are carried ON with precis-
Ion, put when, by fitful and excessive de-
manus carried far beyond the means
OF supply, the balance Is not only
lost, but the machine itself is over
strained and injured, disorder at first and
disease afterwards are the results, This
illustrates pretty clearly the condition of q
Well-balenced brain and nervous system
supplying without an effort all the nervous
force required in the operations Of the mind
and body so long as its work is in propor-
ton to its powers; but if embarrassed by
excessive demands, feeblY and fitfully en-
deaYoring to carry on those mental and
physical operations over which 1t formerly
presided without an effort" The symp-
toms of nervous prostration are exceedingly
painful; we can afford to pity even
the man of pleasure, who has by
his own foolish conduct Induced them,
but much more so the brain-worker,
who has been burning the midnight oil
in the honest endeavOr to support himself,
and probably a wife and family, with res
pectability in life. He has made a mistake
for Whicn we can readily forgive him. In
the pleasurable excitement Of honest toll
he has forgotten that the supply of work
cannot be regulated by the demand or need
for it, but by the power to produce it. He
has been living on his capital as well as
the interest thereof, and, when he finds that
he has no longer the strength to work as
he used to do, and starvation itself proba-
bly, staring him in the face II he ceases to
toll, why the very thought of coming col
lapse tends only to hasten the catastrophe,
and reason itself may totter and fall before
the continued mental strain.
Probably the first sign of falling nervous
energy is given by some Of the large organs
OF the body; with fiuttering or paipitation,
or intermittent pulse, and shortness of
breath In ascending stairs or walking quick
lY. The stomach may give timely warning,
and distaste Of food or loss Of appetite,
with aciditY, fatulence and irregularity of
the bowels, may point to the less of vitality
from the waste unrepaired. Or brain symp-
toms may point out to the patient that
things are going wrong. He may not find
himself able to work with his
usual life and activity; he may have
fits of drowsiness, or transient attacks
of giddiness, or pain, or heaviness,
or loss OF sleep itself. This latter would be
a very serious symptom indeed, for in sleep
not only are the muscular and nervous It's
sues restored and strengthened, but there
is for the time being a cessation of waste it
self, and If sleep be essential to the ordinary
healthy man, it is much more so to him
whose mental faculties have been 0vertask-
ed. Long hours and night work lead to
loss of sleep, and loss of sleep may lead to
insanity and death. Loss of memory
whether transient or general, Is q sure sign
that the brain has lost its power of healthy
action, and needs rest and nutrition TO re-
store it. Irritability OF temper and fits Of
melancholy both point in the same direc-
tion, and an exhausted nervous system.
Now, may safely say that there are very
many thousands of brain workers who are
suffering from effects of excessive and
over mental strain. To warn such that
they are positively shortening their lives,
and that they cannot have even the faintest
hopes OF reaching anything like an old age,
is only to perform part OF my duty as medi-
cal adviser. l should try TO point out some
remedy for the evil. To bid them cease to
work would, in a great many cases. be
equivalent to telling them TO cease to live.
They must work or they cannot eat.
Well, but there is one thing that all can do;
they can review, remodel and regulate their
mode and system of living.