Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-06-03
WORK AND HEALTH,
Some Timely Considerations of Some ImpOr-
tant and Pressing Questions.
no;Iy


tant and Pressing Questions.
London Daily News.
The chief feature which medical writ
ers point out as worthy the consideration
of busy laymen is the fact that the ordin
ary conditions under which business is
pursuet or success sought after are pre-
judicial to health, and therefore antagOn-
istic to longevity. DR.. Roose, who has re-
Gently been dealing with this subject,
enumerates the conditions in question,
fairly enough, as excessive and persistent
brainwork without sufficient rest; mental
exertiOns in persons untitled by age or
education for such brain-toil; a multiple
city of occupations; and "Over-anxiety
and worry connected with daily life, striv-
ing after success, ETC." Doubtless it may
be held that the physician-aUtha is some
what indefinite in the latter part of his
contention as he is probably outside the
mark when he speaks of persistent brain
work as a cause of ill-health. There is
nothing inconsistent with long and
healthy life in close and prolonged ap-
plicatiOn to mental labor. The records
of distinguished men teach Us so much,
plainly and uneqUivOcally; and Mr.. Gal
ton has proved the case over again by his
researches into the question of hereditary
genius. 1t is not matter of brain-wO
which has really to be discussed. 1t IS
rather one of iniudicious brain-labOr-
nay, more, it is that species of mlnd-tOu
which ends or passes in worry in place of
work and which is carried on not stead1-
ly, but spasmodically, there has to be
guarded against as a fertile source Ofwear
and tear in modern life.
When, on the other hand, medical men
f al xunPIr un6prta ken Inv
brains untitled by age Or education as
source of disease and early failure, they
stand upon sound ground. 0ver-strain in
education represents the first of these con-
ditiOns, and we need not at this late hour
of discussion of Over-preasure stay to
emphasize the opinions that cram is not
X education, and that the prevalent ten
dency to Over-educate is one which, sooner
or later, must engage the serious atten-
ton of our legislators. The unequal
brain-wOrk of the relatively unedUcated
person is also fruitful source of disease
and physical breakdown. A man promo
ted, say to fill a position involving much
mental labor, from one IN which this
species of work was represented in the
minimum degree, illustrates another phase
of -preaSsure of the adult mind.
Here, again, the want of pliability in the
organism which is trying to adopt itself
to its new Environments tells against its
success. The result of such an attempt
at adjustment of life and work is too of
ten seen in disastrous failure. The
tendency just noted is one which should
not be lost sight of by many otherwise
able workers who in other ways of life
have already borne the burden and heat
of the day.
The practical application of Dr.. ROOses
remarks involves certain words of cOun
sells which differ from the ordinary and
prOverbial advice gratis in that they are
of valuable character, and such as may
well be laid to heart by all who have to
engage more or less in the modern strug-
gle for existence. He is a sound adviser
for Instance, on the question of sleep.
SanchO Panza's opinions regarding the
blessedness of repOse find a modern re-
echo in the physicians ideas that the man
who drops off easily to sleep, or who goes
early to bed, is, other things being equal,
likely to resist disease, to live longe~, and
to work better than his neighbor who is
not of 'such as sleep O. nights It is
probably also a piece of sound general
advice that the times and season of meals
and it may be added, the nature, quality
and amount of food and it's accessories
should be made topics of more earnest
study than is usually the case. That per-
sons in a comfortable way of life tend TO
eat too much is a stable axiom popular in
physiology. There is great room for in
nOvatiOn in the direction of simplicity in
diet, which is in itself feature prOduc-
tive of health and longevity. ''After
dinner sit awhile says the proverb-
ial philosophy, which, as founded on
practical experience of life, is by no
means an unsafe guide even in the matter
of health. Our physicians, however, tell
US that while such pOst-prandial repOse is
good, rest before meals is equally neces-
) sary. One source of shOrtness of life in
these days is digestive disturbance, and
a powerful case of such irregularity is the
practice of sitting down to food in a
wearied and exhausted state. Choice of
our foods and drinks is a matter of per-
sOnal iture, for which none but general
laws and principles may be laid down; but
1t is clear that many of US would be none
the worse, but greatly the better, for a
brief study of the science of nutrition,
if only by way of demonstrating how
simple a matter after all this work of
bodily nurture is, and how easily and
comfortable life may be supported upon
dietries usually regarded as incapable of
giving US the power of doing ordinary
labor DR.. RoOse will have accomplished
a good work if he only causes people to
ponder little over a great truth of all
health-sclence-n namely, that man largely
holds in his own hands and intelligence
the means whereby he may ward off the
attack of disease, promote physical hap
plness, and increase his length of days.