The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-03-05
How TO reEgthen tho Momory.

Of the UrdlI uai Uculh says there is
one feature of the memory which has not
| before been considered, and that is its cx.
altation in some forms of disease
An cxaltation is where a multitude of
rccollcctions spring up involuntarily on
every hand. 1t has its cause in an in
crease Of the circulation of the blood in
tho brain. 1t frequently appears in acute
diseases, especially tcvcrs. 1t is common
in maniacal paticn,s. and it sometimes ap-
pears rs feature Of hyStera and in the
early STAGES Of brain diseases.
This subject of cxaltation of memory
will be best understood 10y some simple
illustrations. There have been many ac,
counts Of persons saved from imminent
death by drowning who al agree that at
the moment of asphyxia they seemed to
see their entire lives unrollcd before them.
even to the minu:cSt detail Some 20 so
far as to say that every instance of former
life seems to flash across the memory, not
as N outline merely, but with every de-
| tail filled in with the most remarkable min
utia-cvcry act # l;ir, whether right or
wrong, comes back with great viyidncss.
| Ribot cites the case of Il clear headed
man who was in the act Of crossing rails
ROAD track when an express train running
at !nll speed appeared close at hand. TIE
man had barely time to throw himself down
in the center Of the road, between the
two liucs Of rails anu as the train rushed
over him, the feeling of impcn ling danger
brought to his recollection most vivilly
every act and incident OF his former life
in such an array rs to suggest 10 him the
opening of the great book at the last great
day
There is no doubt much cxaggcration
in these statements ; yet they show an 2nor-
nous temporary increase nr cXiitat,Dn of
the natural memory.
De Quincy, in his Confessions Of an
English Opium Eater gives an experience
which shows how the m Emory may be OK,
altcd by intoxcation by the use OF opium.
lie says "Sometimcs seemed to have
live from, 40 TO 100 years N 81 >i"..lA
| ulghs. The mluutcst incident, oil child
| hood or forgotten scenes Of later Years
were often revived. could ,nt be said
to rccoIlcct them, for if had been told of
them on awakening, | should not have
been able to acknowledge them as = pay. Of
my experience but placed before me in
dream like intuitonS, and clothed in all
their cvaneaccnt circumstances and accom-
panying feelings, | recognized them in
stanty.
Such augmcntatiors Of the memory
may be regarded as abnormal and undesir-
able, being Indications Of disease; but they
teach one lesson to those who would
strengthen their memories, and that is the
value and necessity of a perfectly healthy
and vigorous circulation Of blood in the
brain. The same lesson is taught by an
| opposite condition from that Of an exalta>
tion-a diminu;ion of the normal memory
By a decay or withcring of the brain cells
and a diminished supply of blood to the
parts.
The loss Of memory in the aged is IA
millar example, and can only be accounted
| for by determination of the brain clc-
mcnts and a diminution Of blood supplied
to them One Of the worst features of
such cases is the fact that an old person is
not, for long time after decay has begun,
aware Of it. | am now treating Il case of
loss Of mcmory in a person advanced in
years, who did not know that his memory
had failed most remarkably till | told him
Of it. lie is making vigorous efforts to
bring it back again, and with partial sue
cess.
The method pursued is to spend two
hours daily, one in the morning and one
III the evening, in exercising this faculty
The patient is instructed to give the closest
attention tc all that he learns, so that it
shall be impressed on the mind clearly
He is asked to recall every .cning all the
facts and experiences Of the day, and
again the next morning. Every name
heard is written down and impressed on
bis mind clearly, and an effort made to re-
call it at intervals Ten names from among
public men are ordered to be committed To
memory every week. y verse of poetry
is to be learned, also verse from the
Bible, daily. He is asked to remember the
number of the page in any book where any
interesting fact is recorded. These and
other methods are slowly rcsuscitating a