Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-10-18

NO. Al
Alone.
The London Lancet relates a dis
tressing case Of suicide of boy tel
years old, who had been shut up in BIZ
bedroom as punishment. The edito
comments adversely on leaving childrer
or young persons and the weakly OF
troubled in mind alone:
The solitary state is abhorrent tc
the nature and mind of man. Whether
the brain be immature in its develop.
ment or morbid in its state, it is wrong
In a scientific sense-that is, opposed
to the laws and teachings of ply ysiologi.
cal science-to leave it alone. The
possibility-we will even concede the
probability-of subsidence of excite.
ment is not sufficient set-off against
the dangers of q self-destructive intel
lectual activity. The mind always
works to its own injury when it works
alone. Reflection, intro.pectlon, and
determination are essentially ab-
normal processes. The proper action
of mind is on the outer world. or on
such conceptions of fact and object as
may be readily corrected by present
observation or experience. Abstract
processes of thought are never safe Tor
the young or the weakly and troubled
in mind. Healthy activity, so far as
these two conditions of mind are con-
cerned, is directly relative. 1t is not
good for man to be alone in any sense.
We would therefore again protest
against the recourse to solitary con-
hnement as punishment for children,
and against 'seclusion' in any form for
the unsound of mind. The two
methods of treatment stand on the same
footing, and they are both equally bad"
MOOnsiruck.
"The sun shall not smite thee by
day, nor the moon by night" This
beautiful verse expresses the belief, COM
mon in ancient days. that the moon -ex-
ercises baleful influence upon those
exposed to her direct rays In modern
times, the pernicious influence of the
moon has been doubted and even
denied. But whatever the influence of
the moon in the temperate zones,
within the tropics it is very Injurious
to sleep exposed to its rays, especially
when at the full On a voyage to the
Antipodes, when near the line, q
Maltese sailor, who was q most COM
ical fellow, slept for some hours on
the boom with his face toward the
full moon. On awaking in the morn
ing, the muscles on the right side of
the face were contracted, so that every
attempt to speak was attended with
the most ludicrous contortions. Feel.
ing sure that something was seriously
wrong, he spoke to another sailor,
who, supposing that as usual he was at
his old tricks, burst out into laughter.
OF he went to another, with exactly
the same result The poor fellow now
got into rage, thereby adding not q
little to the righteousness of the scene.
After awhile the truth dawned upon the
captain and officers of the vessel. The
doctor gave him some medicine, the
muscles gradually relaxed, and in the
course of a week our Maltese friend
was well again. Some FIVE or six years
ago, when sailing from Tahiti to Man
gaia, little boy Of mine, in perfect
health, was thoughtlessly placed by
his nurse in his berth, the slanting
beams of the moon falling on his face.
Next morning he was feverish and ill,
and it was two or three days before he
was himself again. On the island of
Aituka, native woman was watching
night after night for the return of her
husband from the island OF Atiu.
Whilst doing so one night she fell
asleep, the moons rays pouring upon
her face. On awaking she felt i'll, and
her eyes were drawn on one side.
Considerable interest was felt by the
islanders in her case. Eventually,
however, her eyes were restored.
These facts illustrate the injnry done
to human beings in the topics. Yet 1
never heard of insanity or death re.
sulting from this cause. 1t is we'll
known, however, in tropical countries
that the moons rays occasion the rap
id decomposition of flesh and fish.
A number of bonstis having been
caught one evening near the line by q
friend of mine, the spoil was hung mp
in the rigging of the ship, and was ex-
posed to the moon through the night.
Next morning it was cooked for break
feast. Symptoms of poisoning were
soon exhibited by all who partook of
it-their heads swelling to a great
size, etc. Emetics were promptly
administered, and happily no one died.
The natives of the South Pacific are
careful never to expose fish Ga constant
article of diet in many islands) to the
moons rays by any chance. They
often sleep by the sea-shore after fishing;
but never with the face uncovered.
The aboriginals Of Australia do the
same as well as they can with their fish
ing-nets, etc. A fire answers the same
purpose. May not the injurious in
fuence of the moon Tin addition to her
beauty and utility account for the
almost universal worship of that orb
throughout the heathen world 81
William Wyatt CHI, B. a.
1t is said that foot-rot and other
diseases to which sheep are subject,
occur much loss often among focks
which are pastured on rather rough
ground, and particularly where they
have to climb bills to get their graz
ing. In Scotland, the great sheep
country of Europe, the sheep are
always found in greatest numbers
among the mountain ranges. The
famous Southdowns also have q
rough country to pasture on, upon
the steep, rugged chalk hills of the
south of England.