New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-18
WORRYAND OVERWORK.
From The Nineteenth Cent,,r,,

Nineteenth
OverwoTk is impossible so long az the effort IL
natural me use OF stlmuans in aid of work is per
maps one OF ihe conuonest forms of collateral iulu.
ence snspenIing the warning sense of exhaustion
When the laborous worker. overcome with fofit1,a
r"uses himself with alcohol coffee tea or an,
other agent which may GRANGE to suit him he does
not add unit of force TO his stock of energy he
SIMPLY narcotlzes the sense of WEAKNESS and The
guard being drqgged. he appropriates the reserve
Not unfrequently the warning sense is stifed b,, d.
very intensity of the motive power or imnuise
Ambition, zeal love, sometimes fear viii na Poo'
man beyond the bounds set by nature No ,ra; ~ d
what suspends the functions OF the nnard set a. -
threshold of the reserve if the residual ST. .i =;
touched two consequences ensue-wasto and denra'
cation. Without reserve of mental enorr.C IL
nRd can no more continue the healthfu exercise of
Its functl Ms than a iabby muscle without tonicit
can respond to the stimulus of strong yolition oa
MI a heavy weight or strike heavy blow N1N
lhe cause, or condition, which most common1,.
exposes the reserve OF mental energy to loss and M
Jury is worry The tone and strength of mind are
it continue long enough they win be DESTROYED y
sets the organism OF thought and feeling vihra,in
natural liberation OF energy in work The whole
machinery Is thrown out of gear and exerciSe
W WI otherwise would be peasurable and innocn,
GUS, becomes painful and even 9esrctiye II l.
easy To see how this must be. The longest notn i,a
music the most steady and persistent ray of light
10 Use an oldfashloned eXpTpSsion-the tonic mTScu
lar contraction, are all, we know produced h,, q
rapid succession of minute motive impulses or aSt
IKE the explosion aud discharge of clecfrcitv fr'
alternately connected and separated noints in 81;
cunt IN tact, series of vibrations Mental ener%,
doubtless takes the same form of deveIon;n",t ~
disturbing element is introduced hy tIe obtr,s;on
OF some independent source of anxiety ar IL out f
the business III hand the mind makes a 6 0no 81
confusion ensues, and for the time being bar
monlous action ceases. Working undcr tbaso
conditions in obedience to the WILL the mental oSe
ana may be lasting. The function of the warn
ing sense is suspended; the reserve is no l"ngnr
stability to the mind; the rhythm of the mcSntoI
forces is interrupted; a crash is always innendi
pe mace GEAR Is TINS: ovcrwork is barely possible
ana seldom, IL ever, happens, while the mind is act
ing n, tine way prescribed by its constitution and
III the norman modes of mental exercise The mo
hieht, however, the natural rhythm of work is
broken n ana disc3rd .ensucs, tho mind is like
tho steam-gauge falsifed, the governing an
oce sarS at O anv G fm. gear ho breakdown may
of worry, and the besettng peril is NOT dCpctd m
GOO urld coors The victim of worry is ever ON the
not at his strength of intellect so mmcb 10 G s
fortune. Worry is disorder, however inJnced mi
uls2rHeriy work Is abhorred by the laws of nature
Wnib leave It wholly without remedy The energy
employed III industry carried under this condiion y
Ia WISHED IN producing small result and speedily
IN the task, and the faculty of REGENERATION is na
ny arrested Sometimes loss of appetite announces
hunger present in the system is for time ,,r+ VI
naturally acute and marks the fact that the de
nstnad ocfasoned by loss of power appropriate
instead OIL any diminution OF supply. The |
ehort to work becomes daily more laboronS
nSv d If n1Ihs the attention grows increas-
Dry fails, the reasoning power ia e,foi hie1-
preJudlce-the shade of deflnct emotion or 60,
past persuaslon-takes tho placs of iudgmenr.
physlcai nerve or brain disturbance may snner,.'
tlu the crash VIII then come suddenly unex nectaJ
py on,iookers perhaps unperceiyed by the snfferer
himself las Is the history of worry or disorder
prouuced by mental disquietude and distraction
OCCASIONALLY by physical disease
, nc Irst practical inference to be dedncad from,
,iese CONSIDERATIONS is that brain work in tba
'iusI oI mental Worry is carried on in the face Of
,oaSSeiess peru. Unfortunately work and worry are
~ cIoseiy connected IN daily experiences that they
;aahot DC wholly separated. Meanwhle fine worryy, |
~ Wprk-that which grows out of the business in |
ia'hu-s generallya needless, though not ALWAYS
a. aaoidaoie evil In large proportion of In
Sances this description of disorder Is due 10 the |
ac ! Oh education IN brain-work. Men and women
Nltn Hihos capaclous and powerful enough bnt mn,
Iahed, attempt feats for which training il indis-
,eeinisiple, and, being unpreparcd, they fail. rho
ilt aTlan policy of the age is gradually elimna
rom the educatlonary system many OF the snecia1 |
processes by which minds used to be deyeonaS |
MS is, IN part at least, why cases of sudden col
apse are more numerous now than in wears gon. |
~. III Is not, as vanity suggests that the hsSa;n
,oih OF To-day Is so much greater than that |
'Aacteu from our predecessors, but W., are !
ess prepared Tor It's performance. The treatrarS |
u Ihls form OF affection, the breakdown from tb |
worry or work, must be preventive the SOLE r ero
dy Is the reversal of policy which snbsti,tos I'm
uits ior processes, knowledge for eincation TO |
serious cause of discontinue and sorrow in ,.on
nat so much OF the brain-power expended ia r"oaa
arly devoted TO the removal of extrn ooeo-
allses OF worry; Labor is so fatal 10 Gfe %n
suse IT is so difficult to live. The SeadIue DO,
L Work IN tho midst Of worry must he P Com