Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-09-22
ADVERTISING RATES,
Space. Nv. In. I'm. en- Tyr
Right Work and Long Hours.

There I5 no disease 80 lnsldlous, nor when
fully developed so difficult to cure as that spe-
ces of nervous degeneration or exhaustion pro-
ducsd By Eight work or long hours. It is easy
to understand how such state of prostsstion
map bs induced. The brain and tho ncrsous
system hayc brsn very aptly compared to gal.
Vsrlc battery 10 constant use to provide sup,
ply OF eieos.ic fluid for consumption within q
given time. "As loug." says recent writer,
.'as supply aod demand are fairly balanced, She
!uooticns which owe their regular and oorrec.
working to the flaid are carried Oh with prcci.
sio1; but when, By dstul kDd excessive demands
carried ssf beyond the means Of supply. the
bslaCcc is not only lost, but the msehine itself
is oVers:rained and injured-disorder at first
aud disease afterwards ara the result. This ils
lustrates pretty clearly the condition of we'll
balanced brain and nervous system. supplying
without an effort all the Dervous force required
10 the operation OF the mind aud body, 81 long
as its work is 10 proportion TO its powers, bus If
embarrassed By excessive demands. feebiy and
fttuIly eudasVoring to oaIry on these mental
and physical operations over Whoh e formerly
presided without On effort" The symptoms of
nervous prosrstion sre exceedingly painful;
ne csn atord to pity even the man Of pleasure,
who has by his Own foolish conduct pro-
duoed them, but much more so the brain
worker, who has been burning the midnight oil
10 toe honest endeavor to support himself and
probably wife and family, with responsibility
10 lite. He has msde mistake, for which We
csn readily forgive him. Ii the pleasurabls
excitement of honest toll he hiss forgotten that
the supply of work cannos be regulated by tho
demand or nead for it, but By the oogor to pro,
duce il. He has b7cn living on his capital as
unll ipka . suL- L G.
the former faillpg-Raen he finds be has no
logger the strength to work as he used to do,
and starvation itself probably staring him ia the
face, if be ceasos TO toll, Why the very thought
Of coming collapse tends ooly to hasten the Ca
tastsophe, aDd resson itself may totter and fall
b.fore the contiouad mental strain. Probably
the first sign Of failing nervous energy 10 given
by some OF the largo organs OF the body; it may
he functional arrangement of the heart. With
aotteriug or palpitstioD, or intermittent pulse,
aud shortness of breath in ascending stairs or
! walking quickly. The stomach may giys
timely warning and distaste for food or loss
of appetite, With acidty, fatulsncs and irreg.
ularity Of the bowels, may poiot to the loss of
vitality from waste unrspaired. Our brain
systoms may point out TO the patient that
things are going wrong. He may not fod him.
self able to work with his usual life and activity;
Ao ulsy now hso VI ohVnotuScSs VI tTauelen6
| attacks of giddinsss, or pain, or heavinese, or
loss of sleep itself. This latter would be
very eerious symptom indeed, for 10 sIeep
not only ara the muscular and ueryous
| tissues restored aud strengthened, but
| there is, for the time bsiog. cessation of
! waste itself; and if sleep bs essential to
sbe ordinary healthy man. it is much moro 80
! to him whose meu.al faculties hava been over
! tssksd Long hours and night work lead to
loss of Sleep and loss Of sleep may lead to 10.
sauty and death. Loss of memory, whether
! transient or general, is cure sigu that the
brain has lost it's power of healthy acton, and
needs rest and nutrition to restore is. Irrta.
blIiIy of temper, and fits OF melancholy, both
point 10 the same direction-to 40 exhausted
nervous system. Now l may safely say that
there are very msty thousands of brain workers
in these islands who are suffering sadly. and it
may be silently suffering, from tho effecs of
excessive toll aud mental over strain. 10 warp
such that they are positively shortening their
lives, and that they cannot have even the
! fain.ess hope of reaching anything liko 60 old
age, is only to perform part of my duty IS
| uedicsl adviser. should try to point out some
| remady for the evil 10 bid them cease TO
| work would, in gree. many cases, be equiVi-
| lon to telling them 10 cease to live. Thoy must
! work, or they cannot eat, Well. bat there is
! one thing that sll oau do, they can reviaw. re-
| nodsl sod requisite tbeir mode aud sysssm of
| vng.- Ct1sscNS' MGga=1,e.
2