The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-03-22

The popular conception Of the con-
dition now known as the NERVOUS pros
urationn is state Of debility in which
nervous derangements predominant. A
man actively engaged in business orin
public life presently finds himself unequal
to his daily task; his digestion is disorder
ed; he is weak: wakefulness, mental de-
preston and thousand and one new
sensations of strange character and fear
full portent are superadded. The UNI
fortunate subject of these ills now recoils
from his work, gives himself up to the
consideration OF his symptoms and re-
lakes his hold on the interests and !occu-
pations of his life. All the world declares
that he has ''nervous prostitution" and
this explation satisfies. Physicians
say ''neurasthenia'' or hypochondria, T"
according to their habits Of mind or to
their training. Sometimes this condi-
ton Is called the american disease"
Indeed there is general notion, widely
prevalent, that neurasthenia is pecu-
liarly American malady. To entitle this
the American disease" is strange
misnomer. 1t might, with more propri-
ETY. be called the "French disease" for
condition known as the NERVOUS
state" as ''nervism, !" as neurasthenia"
and similar terms has been recognized
and frequently described by French
writer's from an early period in this CEN
tury. In France have existed the caus-
es in the most influential form. The
frequent political commissions. the ex-
acting social life of the great cities and
the harrassing struggle for existence
inseparable from the state of the great
mere mass of the population induce, If
any external conditions can, that which
as called nervous exhaustion. There are
two factors supposed to bs especially
influential in this country : work and
our exciting political and social life.
The brain, of all the organs of the body
illustrates in the most perfect manner
that which has been styled ''the prin.
cipal of least action" that is to ex-
ecute given tasks, it expends the least
possible force, or, to express the same
idea in another form, its work is done
with ease, with the minimum of effect.
Given a certain amount of repose tsleep),
and supplied with proper nutriment
(healthy blood, the brain will do its al
lotted work continuously during its
working (the waking) hours. So far
from being injured by severe labor, car
ried on under normal conditions, the
brain is improved by it. Mental
activity, like muscular exercise, keeps
the brain in healthy state. When,
therefore, man says he is suffering
from the effects of mental overwork
want to know what his vices are. Wor.
ny is one of these; worry Is exhausting.
The worries of life do infinitely more
harm than the work of life, how oner-
GUS soever it may be. The cases have
Just read illustrate this l deny that
life is more exciting on this side of the
Atlantic. The one prize of life is mon.
ey and to get possession of 1t is the SUI
preme purpose, to the attainment Of
which every energy is put forth. Is il
less so elsewhereP Who are the peopls
who despise money and make no effort
to obtain itP Here life is less exciting,
because our political condition is stable
and but comparatively little exertion is
required to secure comfortable subsis
tence. 1 am speaking now Of the mas
of the population, and not of the few
consumed by ambition for political ant
social distinction, or led by pitiles
greed. 1t is the very ease and luxury
of our American life that causes mis-
chief. 1t is the indulgence in eatinI
and drinking, the abuse of alcohol AM
tobacco, sedentary habits, and too lux
urious living generally, that induce
the state of the system called nervou
I exhaustion.