The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-10-18
Worry.

The cause, or condition, which most COM
monty expose the reserve the mental OF en-
ergy to loss and injury is worry. The tone
and strength of mind are seriously impaired
by its wearing influence and, ifcontinued
long enough, they will be destroyed. II
sets the organism of thought and feeling vi
brating with emotions which are
not consonant with the nat
ural liberation of energy in work.
The whole machinery is thrown out of gear,
and exercise, which would otherwise be
pleasurable and innocuouss, becomes painful
and even destructive. II is easy to see how
this must be. The longest note in music,
the most steady and persistent ray of light
to us an old-fashioned cxpression-the
tonic muscular contraction. are all, we
know produced by q rapid succession
of minute motive impulses or acts,
like the explosion and dis
charge of electricity from alternately con
nected and separated points N circuit III
fact, series Of vibrations: Mental energy
doubtless takes the same form OF develop
ment. If disturbing element is intro
duced by the obtrusion OF some indcpend-
ent source of anxiety, or if out OF the bust
ness in hand the mind makes a discard,
confusion .ensues, and for the time being
harmonious action ceases. Working under
these conditions in obedience 20 the will, the
mental organism sustains injury which
must he great and may be lasting. The
funct ion of the warning sense is suspended;
the reserve is no longer stock in obeyance f,
and il ceases to give stability 10 the mindi
the rhythm of the mental forces is inter-
ruptcd a crash is always impending and
90 often sudden collapse occurs. The point
TO be made clear is this: 0yerwork is bare
ly posible, and seldom If ever happens,
whilesthe mind is acting in the way pre-
scribedby its constitution and in the normal
modesof mental exercise. The mo ment
howeyererthe natural rhythm OF work is
broken and discord ensues, the MIND IS
like and an CINE with the safety valve lock
ed, the stcam-gsuge falsihcd, the govern
ing apparatus out OF gear.a breakdown
may occur ut any instant, The state pic
turcd is one of worry, and the besettlng
peril is not depicted in too lurid colors. The
victim Of worry is ever on the verge OF q
catastrophe; II he escape, the marvel 10 not
MT his strongth OF intellect 40 much as his
good fortune. Worry In disorder, however
Induced. and disorderly work IL abhorred by
the laws OF mature, which leave II wholly
without remedy. The energy employed In
industry carried ON under this condition Is
lavshed In producing . small result, and
speedily exhausted. The reserve comes
into play very early In the task, and the
faculty Of recuperation Is speedily exhaust
ed, Tho reserve comes into play very early
in the task, and the faculty OF recupsration
is speedily exhausted. Sometimes the loss
of appetite announces the cessation Of nu-
triton; otherwise the sense OF hunger pro.
sent In the system. Ia for time preterna-
turaly acute, and marks the fact that the dc.
mand il occssioned by loss OF
power to appropriate, instead Of any
diminutlon Of supply. The effort TO work
becomes daily more laborious, the task Of
fixing the attention grows increasingly diff.
ficult, thoughts wander memory fails, the
reasoning power is cnfeebled +; prejudice
the shade OF derinct emotion or some past
persuason-takcs the place of Judgment
physical nerve or brain disturbance may
supervcne. and the crash will then come sud
denly, unexpected by on.lookcrs, perhaps
snpcrceivable by the sufferer himself. This
iu the history Of worry" or disorder pro-
duced by mental disquietude aud distrac'
ton, occasionally by physical disease
Trhe Nineteenth Century.