The Wilmingtonian., 1886-09-11
Late Hours for Children.
The old adapa of

tire systems are much more susceptible to
the evil action of anything not in complete
harmony with the laws of Health. The mind
as well as the body requires its intervals of
rest in order to recuperate after exertion.
Exercise of the mind destroys or decompose
portion of the cells of the brain, for it is
only by the action of these brain cells that
we can have thought, just as it is only By the
action of the cells of the muscular tissue that
we can have motion of any portion of the
body. During the walking hours the brain
cells are continually in action, sometimes
one part and sometimes another, according
to circumstances. During the time this
waste of brain tissue is going ON there is al
so counter action of repair, but not suili-
cient to supply the loss without an interval
OF cessation in the process of destruction, in
order that the reparation process may catch
up, and thus make the thinking properties
of the brain as good as before. And in tho
case of children it must even do more than,
repair the damage, it must make the brain
stronger than before !; for the chld's brain is
continually growing, in order that the mind
may be stronger, and thus be prepared for
the necessities of the future, when greater
things will be required of it. And again the
child's brain is very tender and not injured
to hardship like that Of an adult. 1t cannot
be knocked and banded about with impun-
ity like that of a strong and vigorous man,
any more than the body Of child can EN-.
dure the hardships of the horny handed sons
of toll
There are five avenues to the mind through
which it receives messages or impressions
from the outer world. These are DESIGNATED
the five senses viz. seeing, hearing, smell
ing, tasting and feeding. While these ave
nues are all open to it is almost impossible
for any other than thoroughly exhausted
mind to obtain the necessary recuperaton.
Tor the messages are coming IN from each of
three five Senses and the mind is kept as
busy as telegraph operator who is listening
to the messages from five different lines at
one time.
1t is therefore wise provision of Nature
that she shuts off the light of day once in
twenty-four hours, bringing on condition
OF darkness which closes the main avenue to
the mind, that of sight. This in turn causes
cessation of labor, and thus Closes in
measure, another Of the avenues. For when
labor stops noise stops, and without noise
there is no bearing. Under these circum.
stances there is not likely to be anything
brought within reach of the organs of smell
or taste, which shuts them Off This leaves
nothing but the sense Of feeling, and as this
sense acts but slightly except through the
influence of movements, and movements
have already practically ceased we have the
various avenues practically closed except as
they are continued through artificial means.
Thus we see that nature has provided the
very best means to bring about the desired
condition to permit this required rest before
the mind is too much exhausted.
We see to why it is best that the mind
should obtain rest during the hours of dark
ness, as provided by nature. Perfect rest
can be obtained only under these conditions.
When sleep occurs at other times it is only
partly satisfactory, and sometimes the per.
son feels more weary after such sleep than
before.
1t is noted fact that persons who work at
night and sleep in the daytime soon break
down in health, and it is almost sure TO be
oy some nervous prostration; more especially
is this the case if the person is of nervous
temperament.
Children, whose brains are much more
tender than those of adults, need their rest
at the proper time, or great damage may lie
done them, both in dwarfing their minds,
aud in causing diseases of the nervous sys.
TEN, which may either produce death or Law
the foundation for lifelong misery.
The people of America are much more
prone to nervousness and nervous diseases
than any other nation, and undoubtedly one
great cause is, that they are allowed while
children to keep late hours Their parents
love to make to little men and women of
them when they are in reality only babies.
Children require also much more rest than
adults, because they have not only to recup.
crate the tissues which have been used nm
but they must furnish enough that the mind
may grow and become larger than before.
Hence the child must have great deal more
rest and sleep than the adult, in order that
nature may have more time in which to ac-
compiish this greater work.
When we allow children to remain nm in
the evening as long as grown people, we are
not only sowing seeds for their future misery
by deranged nervous system "a condition
which can produce more pain and suffering
than any other,) but we are robbing them of
the growth of brain, and thus deadening
their intellects, making them less intelligent
than nature would othelw wise make them.
And all this simply for orr qualification for
short time. On, the seltishness! oh. Tie
studidity the sinfuness IF the parent who
thus treats the poor child In mauy case, It
would be more charitable to beat out IFS
brains with club and thus end its misery
forever.
The practice Of taking children to theatIes
to balls, suppers. etc, where they have to
remain up until late hour is entirely CON
trary to nature, and the excuse that the
children ''lIke to go" aud II don't like to
refuse them anything which lerjoy myself"
simply shows that the child ha, been ALLOW ed
to acquire an unnatural habit which should
be discontinued immediately. l. is perfectly
natural for ch ldren to be slrely and want, to