Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-07-13

OF the comparative weakness OF the
muscles, persons Of this ten perament
easily become fatigued; though, owing TO
the activity Of the nervous system, they
quickly rally.
Prompt 10 form opinions and 10 arrive
at conclusions, the subjects of the nerv-I
Gus temperament are not remarkable for
stability of purpose. Their intellectual
operations are rapid and brilliant, but at
the same time not often persistent. Va-l
riety is constantly sought for, and the
mental efforts, like the physical, are, as
it were, spasmodic, full Of energy while
they last, but soon yielding 10 others.
Women were formerly much more fire.,
quently the subjects of this temperament
than men, but owing to the constant eff
fort TO get rich manifested by the male
sex in recent times, and the consequent
extreme development Of the emotionalI
system and of certain faculties Of the in-i
tellect, il is now far more common with
men. Indeed, | am not sure but that,
in civilized communities, especially in the
large cities of the United States, it has
not become the predominaring tempera-
ment The man who day after day Isl
kept upon a mental rack by that most
harassing Of all the emotiCns-anxiety
will inevitably undergo such psychicalI
and bodily changes as will change him,
from any other original ten erament tol
the one under notice. OF al the tenn
peraments, it is particularly esv to be ac-
quired II is the outcome of yilizationi
and refinement, and probably but for
these agencies would never have arisen.
Among barbarous nations it l. almost
unknown, and savages never exhibit it;
but it is common enough in London,
Paris and New York and in men who, if
they had lived a hundred years ago,
would have been as phlegmatic as the
most typical Dutchman.
The diseases which are most apt TO,
occur among individuals Of the nervous
temperament are those which concern
the nervous system. Thus, we have the
various forms Of neuralgia, certain affec-
tons Of the spinal cord, hysteria in all
its protean varieties, St. Vitus' dance,
catalepsy, ecstasy and insanity Of all
types. In fact, the nervous tempera-
ment itself is, if strongly developed. al
most pathological condition, the sensi-l
bility is so acute. the capability for re-
ceiving mental impressions so decided,
and the system is so readily thrown into
disorder from slight causes that the tenn.
perament in question may often be con-
sidered as the first manifestation of dis
ease.
Persons of the nervous temperament
are vesy subject TO diseases which exist
only in their imagination or which, be-
ing slight, are exaggerated by the con-
stant habit Of introspec;ion in which they
indulge. They are thus very frequently
rendered seriously i'll by the morbid at
tention they give TO symptoms which are
often by no means abnormal
But although the existence Of the ner-l
vous temperament In person predis-I
poses him or her more than does any
other temperament to mental alteration,
Il is not to be supposed that it possesses
this power 10 the exclusion of the other,
temperaments. The sanguine. the lynn
phatic and III" choleric are by no means
devoid Of influence in this direction. In
deed, the latter is not far behind the
nervous as predominant temperament
In insane persons.
There is, therefore, no temperament
which can par excellence be regarded as
the insane temperament. Persons of all
temperamental types are liable to insan-
ity. Individual popularity is a factr
NOT TO he disregarded. Some peoples
would never become insane, no matter
what misfortunes might visit them or
what mental shocks they might suffer,
while others might lose their minds upon
the supervention of the slightest possible
disturbing event One man will suffer
the loss of family and friends and money
and his mind will retain all its clearness
and vigor, while another will 60 into his
barn aud hang himself when he learns
that butter has fallen two cents a pound.
DIR. William A. Hammond in New
Nnrk Mail ,,,H E,y,au