Morris tribune., 1881-08-18
Night Work and Long Hours.
rom Casselps London Magazine

IIOlu SdSSoll . LUiuOu IudSsiAlh0.
There is no disease so insidious nor
when fully develoved so difficult to cure,
as that specious of nervous degeneration
or exhaustion produced by night work or
long hours. 1t is easy to understand how
such a state of prostitution may be induced.
The brain and tho nervous system have
been very aptly compared toa galvanic bat
terry in constant use to provide supply OF
electric fluid for consumption within CIV
en- time. "As long," says recent writer,
@as supply and demand are fairly balanced,
the functions which owe their regular and
with precision; but when, by titful and ex-
cessive demands carried far beyond the
means of supply, the balance is not only
lost, but the machine itself is overstrained
and injured disorder at first and disease
afterwards are the results. This
illustrates pretty clearly the condition
of we'll balanced brain and nervous sys-
tenn, supplying without an effort all tn 9
nervous force required in the operations of
the mind and body, so long as its work is
in proportion to its powers, but if embar-
rassed by successive demands feebly and
fitfuIly endeavoringto carry on those mental
and physical operations over which it form
erly presided without an effort" The
symptoms of nervous prostitution are ex-
ceedingly painful, We can afford to pity ev-
en- the man of pleasure, who has by his
own foolish conduct induced them. but
much more to the BRAIN worker. who has
been burning the midnight oil in the hon
est endeavor to support himself, and prob
ably wife and family, with responsibility
in life. He has made mistake for which
we can readily forgive him. In the pleas
ureaSle 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 we'll as his in
interest thereof. and when he finds he has
no longer the strength to work as he used
to dc. and starvation itself probably staring
him in the face if he ceases to toll, why the
very thought of coming collapse tends
only to hasten the catastrophe, and reason
itself may totter and fall before the contin-
ued mental strain.
Probably the first sign of failing nervous
energy is given by some Of the large Or
CANS of the body; it may be functional de-
rangement of the heart, with tuttering or
palpitation or intermittent pulse, and short
ness of breath in ascending stairs or walk
ing quickly. The stomach may give timely
warning, and distaste for food or loss of
appetite, with acidity, fatulence and irregu-
larity of the bowels, may point to loss of
vitality from waste unrepaired. Or brain
symptoms may point out to the patient that
things are going wrong. He may not find
himself able to work with the same usual
life and activity; he may have fits of drowsi-
ness, or transient attacks of giddiness, or
pain, or heayiness, or loss of sleep itself
This latter would be very serious symp-
tom indeed, for in sleep not only are the
muscular and nervous tissues restored and
strengthened, but there is q time for the
cessation of waste itself; and if sleep be
essential to the ordinary healthy man, it is
much more SO to him whose mental
faculties have been over-tasked. 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
a sure sign that the brain has lost its power
of healthy action, and needs rest and nu-
tritien to restore it. Irritability of temper,
and fit of melancholy both point in the
same direction, to an exhausted nervous
system. Now may safely say there are
very many thousands of brain workers in
these islands who are suffering, sadly. and
it may he silently suffering, from the effects
of excessive toll, and over mental strain.
To warn such that they are positively short
ening their lives, aud that they cannot have
even the faintest hopes of reaching any
thing like an old age, is only to perform
part of my duty as medical adviser. ]
should try to point out some remedy fol-
the evil. To bid them cease work, would,
in 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 they all can do, they can re.
view, remodel and regulate their mode and
system Of living.