Connecticut western news., 1885-06-24
A STUDY OF SEASICKNESS.
How the Matter Appears to
 an Old Sailor.
Curious Instances Showing the Effect of
 Temperament and Imagination


 ents have recently appeared nearly simultaneously containing antagonis- tic views of seasickness, The writer to the Erelipg Post, who made the outward passage on the Nornlaradte, is an optimist: He says: "All that is needed Is self-ccntrol; preserve that for i've minutes and you are saved"
 The pessimlst of the Commercial Ad- certiSeT has no self-control, but resigns himself to the inevitable, for the "great ugly fact of seasickness remains. No contrivance, no specific has been in- vented to mitigate It's woes"
 In individual cases each may be right. A great many elements enter into the question. All brains and all stomachs are not constructed alike, and seasickness Is sometimes disease of one and sometimes of the other.
 Dr. Stevens, the oculist, has written an ingenious pamphlet, in which he demonstrates to his own satisfaction that it is disease of the eyes. I am not able to controVert this, because I have never had a blind man for a shipmate-not many blind men go to sea professionally, or for the purpose of seeing anything abroad. Few per sons do, in fact, escape the clutches of the monster who attacks in different ways. About fifty years ago he had me under control for the first ten days of my seafaring life, and if l did not have the will power of "Periander," my superiors had it. but all their 'starting up" was of no avail. How ever, that ten days was all that was required of me, and he has never tried it again. On the other hand, l once sailed with captain who, after thirty years experience, always suf- fered on the first day of a passage. A very curious, and to the ship an expensive, idiosyncrasy once came under my observation. We had a passenger from Boston to Leghorn. During the whole forty days he vora- ciously devoured six daily meals. First he breakfasted with the mate and me. I shall be sufficiently understood if I say that he immediately afterward went on deck. He then came down below and had plenty of room for another hearty breakfast with the second mate. He observed the same rule with regard to dinner and supper, and the second mate stayed with him 30 that he enjoyed excellent health excepting for the few moments of in- tervals, and arrived at Leghorn with gain of avoirdupois.
 In general it will be found that TO- bust persons of good digestion are more liable to seasickness than the dyspeptic. Faith and inspiration have much to do with the matter. We were going out on fishing excursion from Hampton beach. A lady declined to be one of the party because she was always seasick even in crossing ferry. I told her of sovereign remedy which would be effectual for three hours, the time we expected to be in the boat, acknowledging that it would last no longer. This candid admission in- creased her faith in the skeins of red yarn I tied about her wrists. Un- fortunately we were becalmed so that we did not get ashore for five hours, during the last two of which she was terribly i'll, having been without a qualm for the time of guarantee. It is, perhaps, needless to say. that the remedy was invented on the spot. A gentleman going upon an East India voyage was troubled by seasickness on the passage nine miles from the wharf to Boston light. The ship anchored in Nantucket Roads to await fair wind, and our friend turned into his berth. After he had slept an hour or two he was awakened by a fellow-passengeI who said to him: "Well, we are out side the light, and she is slipping along very smoothly" Before he could get on the deck to look at the ocean ht was so overcome by the enemy that ht required the stewards attention. The ship had not moved from her anchor. age.
 A sudden sense of danger will as suredly put an end to seasickness Whatever may have been the condl tion of the passengers of the City Q Berlin in this respect at the moment
 when she struck the iceberg an confident that they were an active healthy set of persons until they wer, assured that there was no longer an. danger. Once when running dowI the Gulf of Lyons before n1istraEe all of the 500 French soldiers we hat on board seemed to be at deaths doc
 because of the rolling of the ship. A last the water got the better of th pumps, and rose nearly to the furnac doors. All the hand buckets wer called into use, and canvas bucket
 were improvised. The soldiers wer made to bail for their lives, and tn urgency of the situation soon got tn better of their stomachs.
 An Englishman has offered priz of &2500 "for the invention or discov cry of an economical, efficient and saf subitute for gunpowder and other ex 1 rnInnitrna ann,,lnund ln Ahn rrnhkinnr n