The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-03-07
Women and the Headache.

The headache only becomes weapon
Of feminine despotism whenit is employed
by the mistress of the household against
those who daily bow to her domestic
scepter. There is no sight in the world
so actually painful to every risht-minded
man as the spectacle of woman, to
whom he has any sort of attachment, in
pain. II would be too much to say that
it is because the professional cultlvator
of headaches knows this that she sue
cumbs SO entirely to the attack. On the
contrary, it is rather because she realizes
this fact so imperActly that the headache
is really welcomed by the fair Invalid.
The feminine imagination suggests some
slight or detects with perverse ingenuity
some ground of grievance, and the natural
development and expression Of this scntl-
ment are the headache. The ailmcnt,
when it is thus generated, is not mere
affection. 1t is actually experience; it IS
| the resort to which natures that lack
energy are inevitably prone. 1t is II
species of protest against purely i'm
aginary wrong and an unwisc and most
distressing way of resenting an injury
that, as q matter OF fact, has never been
inflicted or meant:
OF the headaches which are only ex-
pressive of momentary disappointment
of ANNOYANCE that some meditated plea
sure has been abandoned, or that some
ourceof expenditure has beenretrenched,
it is needless to speak. For all varieties
of the malady which periodically attacked
Mrs. Wenham there is one remedy that
is tolerably certain to prove etlectuall.
They are the consequences not 50 much
of physical debility as of moral weakness.
Nothing is more certain provocative OF
feminine headache than the habitnal
brooding over tritles till they seem to as
sumo the Importance Of practical gravity.
In proportion as the interests OF HE are
multiplied in number and the healthy
energies are quickened, the tendency to
headaches will disappear. Above all
things. disingenous reserve is the fertile
parent of these indispositions. Women
who pride themselves on preserving
silence in their troubles of mind or body
absolutely WOO the headache which Is
destructive of the peace OF households
II is given to extremely few persons t.
conceal from the inspection OF those wh'
are constantly about them the emotions
which they experience, and unless the,
can be concealed with artistic complete
ness it may be said without PARADE
| that they are aggressively transparent
There is really no alternative. The Wois
OF il is that the headache OF the yariet
now spoken of, after having been oe
Y casionally experienced for a certai
e length Of time, becomes more or less
an abiding condition, and there are not
few ladies who may be said to pass the
n lives in the predicament Of headache
Perpetual pain in the region Of the eye
brows-pain which candor and courag
a and occupation would almost always a
n Misunderstanding day after day, superli
v duces q kind Of moral and ment'
:, languor, and from languor TO obstructlv.
!" ness is but step. The state OF mind
which ladies abstain from pronouncing
- definite opinion, OF expressing a decld'
10 preference when alternative suggesnoi
n are offered, may be one of discomfort
j. themselves, but is one of positive tortuI
10 with all whom they have to deal. Ir
. pensity to headaches in women is almo
. as bad as o propensity to drink WI
ut men; and is to be struggled against
resolutely, if peace and happiness Al
contentment are to be forthcoming.
i London World.