The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-09-18
LOSS OF MEMORY

II Loss of memory in middle age is
Symptom that should never be neglec
| ed or thought light of. Remember,
mag point to incipient softening of tn,
brain, and other collapse or dementia
do not mean to frighten any reader
$50 / purposely italicise the mag. What
may be may not be, and vice versa
The symptoms of loss of memory more
often than not are the result of over
tiredness, an undutiful kidney or liver
that wants seeing to. If, coupled with
the loss of memory, there were OCCASION
al attacks of swimming in the head,
sleepiness, weakness of sight, sensibly
diminishing capaoility for accustomed
work, fits of irritability aud lowness of
spirits, the case would, to say the least
of it, look more serious.
The loss of memory in middle age is
different from that of old age, as far as
my judgement goes. In the latter stage
of life there is a gradual, but to the
person himself not always noticeable,
decline of the powers of memory, Just
as there is in the powers of strength of
muscle, eyesight and hearing. For a
time at least the old man hardly misses
his retreating memory, he lives more in
the past than for the present, and has
recollections of by-gone times-ere the
tablets of memory got hard and unim-
Observation-Disclosures he with difficult
ty, If at all, can trace the events of yes
terday. A merciful providence rules it
should be so. And, as / said, it is the
same with eyesight and hearing. Is il
Charles Lamb that tells the anecdote of
the old man pointing up at the castle
rookery and saying 4" is very strange,
that the crows be all gone from out |
there these many years /; but remem-
Der the time they were thick enough, |
aye, and noisy enough, too?" l always
thought that very delightful anecdote,
and sincerely hope that no thoughtless
being took the trouble to undeceive the
old man trotting thus pleasantly ON the |
graves brink, by telling him that as he |
spoke the rocks darkened the air, and |
made noise enough to awaken the Seven |
Sleepers.
But the loss of memory that points to |
disease or ailment of some kind in |
middle age is generally transient and |
periodic. The patient can remember |
Or recollect well enough sometimes, not
30 well as others memory is brighter
with him of morning, or after a period
Of rest, than when working or when
Tired. Some people while speaking fail |
for the loss of a word-men
who have once been brilliant orators
others while writing suddenly stagger at |
the ortography of word with which
they really are familiar, or substitute |
one letter of q similar sound for another,
a "b" for "p," for instance, or "d''
for at" Either of the above may all |
at once forget the name Of person with
whom they are intimately acquainted
yes, or their own cognomen.
Well, this loss Of memory in Middle
age should always be treated as q serious
symptom, whether it be so or not. Peo-
pie who suffer therefrom should de-
crease their hours of labor, work more
Systematically, be careful to take rest
whenever they feel tired, relaxation
when the least low in spirits, abundant
exercise in the open air whether they
seem to need it or not. They should
attend to the general health and the
of the system. Take tonic |
"a mild and non-c onstipating one-re-
membering, however, that tonics are
dangerous tools, and too often wolves
in sleeps clothing, Or stimulants in
disguise; temperance should be observed
and wine most sparingly used. By
observing such rules as these a failing
memory may be restored then, and
not till then, mnemonics may be had
recourse to, in order to prevent a relapse,
Mnemonics should be to the memory
what good spectacles are to the eyes