The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-10-20
Work and Oyerwork.


Work. fairly proportioned to the pow
ers, is good and healthy for the organ
ism; no matter whether it be BRAIN
work or body-work. The full exercise
OF the powers. mental and bodily, is de-
sirable and improves them so long as
the 'emand is not excessive. But when
the powers are called upon too freely,
then danger looms ahead Bodily IA
tgue manifests self in lassitude, is un-
fitness for eXertion, compelling rest
until the sense OF vigor is once more
experienced. Certainly, so far so good.
But these sensations are not always at
tended to, and too frequently are
fought off by determination and some
times by resort to stimulants. Baron
JuStus Won Liebig wrote thirty years
ago about the workingman who resorts
to spirits in order to enable him to COM
plete his task: He draws, so to speak,
q bill on his health. which must be al
ways renewed, because for want of
means he cannot take it up; he con-
sumes his capita Anstead of his interest,"
and the result is the inevitable bank
ruptcy of his body'' The system con-
tains n reserve fund of energy upon
which we can draw in emergenc' 'es, and
this is known by the term physiologi-
cal capital" The bcdv income is paid
in daily from the food we eat; the body
expenditure Is the daily outgoings. The
excess of income over expenditure is
the body capital When the out9oings
are less than the incomings an accumu-
latiOn of capital takes place in the body
bank; just as is the case in the money
bank, when more is paid in than is TAX
en- out, an accumulation follows. The
excess is termed the balance. Now,
when business firms reduce their bal
ance too far they are in danger of fail
ure if any sudden and unforeseen de-
mand be made upon them. In fact.
if their balance be unequal to their
demand they may become bankrupt
They usually meet the demand by
drawing a bll payable at a certain
date. In the meantime they set to
work to provide the means to meet the
bill when it falls due. If they succeed
all is well. If their outgoings Just
equal their mornings such accumula-
ton of means is imposs Bile, and they
be ONE bankrupt unless they succeed
in pra tcally staving off payment by
meeting the bin coming due by draw
ing another. Yet the debt remains;
and bll-drawing is a costly device
wh ch means absolute ruin at no very
distant period. But during ali this time
there is the grave danger Of some new
demand, for which no similar scheme
w II or can provide. for their redit is
already mortgaged up to the hilt.
Smash then they must. Bankruptcy is
the natural end of fictitious capital
Now, tn illustration viii make clear
to the reader what is here meant about
physiolog cal bankruptcy. 1t means
the exhaustion of the body cap tai and
collapse before some new demand.
Da ly we pay into the body bank so
much, and every day we draw out so
much. Some DAYS the paying n is far
in excess of the withdrawal: then we
feel energetic. Many persons so cir
cumstanced feel craving for some-
thing to do. a walk. row in a boat.
game of tennis. anyth ng that viii
sic y .ssss slilGGls The surplus energEz.s i,
! Alter q daT dr'fPwco IN the kehne ~,
/ dog delights in a long DAYS hunting.
/ So w tn the horse; after q day or two N
/ the stable he is fresh as it is
termed. and quite frolicsome when first
4 taken out. The cup is brimming over.
/ On the other hand. man and an NAL
! alike enjoy a rest after severe and pro-
/ longed exertion. But when the horse
must work every day his owner feeds
/ him up-giyes him more stimulant
| food. This, however, cannot go on
/ forever. The horse is at last found un-
equal to his work, the veterinary sur
geon is called n, who pronounces him
used up" and pres ribes a course of
"grass. That is, the horse is to have
long holiday, rest in the country,
until he is strong aga GOOD HOrds.