Morning journal and courier., 1881-07-26
Price Four Cents.

species of nervous degeneration or exhaustion l produced by night work or long hours. It | is easy to understand how such state of prostration may be induced. The brain and 1 the nervous system have been very aptly compared to galvanic battery in constant use to provide a supply of electric fluid for consumption within given time "As long," says a recent writer, ssas supply and demand are fairly balanced, the functions which owe their regular and correct working to the fluid are carried on with precision; but when, by ftful and excessive demands carried far beyond the means of supply, the balance is not only lost, but I the machine itself is overstrained and ! iniured-disorder at first and disease after wards are the result. This illustrates pretty clearly the condition of well balanced brain and nervous system, supplying without an effort all the nervous force required in the operations of the mind and body, so long it's work is in proportion to it's powers, but \ if embarrassed by excessive demands feebly and fitfulfy, endeavoring to carry on these I mental and physic I operations over which it formerly presided without an effort" The symptoms of nervous prostration are exceed ingly painful; we can afford to pity even the man of pleasure, who has by his own foolish conduct induced them, but much more the brain worker, who has been burning the midnight oil in the honest endeavor to SUD- port himself, and probably a1gife and fa- mIy, with responsibility in life. He has made mistake for which we can readily for give 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 1t, but the power to produce 1t. He has been living on his capital as well as the interest thereof, and when he finds the former faiing-when he finds he has no longer the strength to work as he used to do
 and if he ceases to toll why the very thought of coming collapse tends only to hasten the
 
 fall before the continual mental strain.
 Probably the first sign of failing nervous energy is given by some of the large organs of the body; it may be functional derangement of the heart, with fluttering or palpitation, or intermittent pulse, and shortness of breath in ascending stairs or walking quickly. The stomach may give timely warn
 ing, and distaste for food, or loss of appe- tite, with acidity, fatulence and irregularity 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 his usual life and activity he may have fits of drowsiness, or transient at tacks of giddiness, or pain, or heaviness, or loss of sleep itself This latter would be very serious symptom indeed, for in sleep not only are the muscular and nervous tis- sues restored and strengthened, but there is for the time being 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 in sanity and death. Loss of memory, whether transient general, is a sure sign that the brain has lost its power of healthy ac- tion, and needs rest and nutrition to restore it. Irritability of temper, and fits of mel ancholy, both point in the same direction, to an exhausted nervous system. Now I may safely say that there are very many thou sands of brain workers in these islands who are suff, ring, sadly and it may be silently suffering, from the effects of excessive toll 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 medical ad- wiser. I should try to point out some reme- dy for the evil. To bid them cease to work would, in great many cases, be equivalent to telling them to cease to live. They must work, or they cannot eat. We'll, but there is one thing that all can do, they can review, re- model, and regulate their mode and system of living