Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-02-28
NERVOUS PROSTRATION.
Its Phases and Causes, with Ilygienlc
Suggestions.

The Substance of Paper Read by DR..
Joseph Draper, superintendent of the
Vermont Asylum, before the WomRn's
Educational and Industrial Union, Feb.
3, 1900
All people may be nervous, but all are
not nervous people. The nervous system
dominates our physical life. It controls all
its movements, and is instrumental in all its
operations. The unconscious functions, as
well as those we are cognizant Of, are alike
under its control. All the vital functions
Of organic life go on 10y reason Of nerve
force whether we are asleep or awake, else
TO sleep would be TO die. Nothing is so
complex as the nervous system in all its re
lations. The wisest Psychologists are una
BILE to trace it in its minutest connections ;
yet it is possible to bring the important
part it plays in the human economy within
the range of even non professional compre-
hension. This We will endeavor to do TO-
night, and by it illustrate how much of hu-
man happiness and human misery hinges
upon it.
In nervous prostration there is a failure
in the normal working of the nervous sys-
TEN. Everybody knows that the brain and
spinal cord constitute the grand centre of the
nervous system. The brain is the instru.
ment of thought, and the spinal cord the
great medium by which the mandates of
the will are carried out. In other words
the brain is the executive Office, and the
spinal cord the executive channel all
yolitiuu is by means of brain and spinal
cord, the nerves proceeding therefrom be
ing the means Of special conveyance to ex
treme points.
But there are some functions not under
the control Of this great system. Our
breathing is not our digestion is not our
secretions are not the circulation of the
blood is not None of these are dependent
upon the cerebro spinal nervous system for
activity, and not one of them can be sus.
pended by the power of volition, acting
through this system for any length of time /;
and yet all the movements by which, as
social beings, we exercise, depend wholly
upon it. This is supplemented by another
system having many small centres, called
ganglia. In these ganglia are stored the
nerve supplies for the carrying ON of the
special functions of organic life. The res
piratIOn, the digestion. the secretons, the
circulation depend ON these special stOrages
Of nerve power, which are constantly be
ing renewed as ls brain power, and unless
the supplies run short We are not conscious
Of any of these functions as a rule
With all this Independence Of action,
however, by which voluntary aud involun
tary functions are carried on, there are
also sympathetic relations, by means Of
nerve connections and the existence Of
l such connections cannot be ignored Up
and down the spine, within the trunk, are
chains Of gangha forming connections with
the cerebru spinal nerves, and within the
| body are plexuses of nerves intimately con
Meeting the so-caled ysreral organs, 50
that 1t Is not easy for one member to suffer
without all the members sympathizing with
1t. This gangionic nervous system has
been differently termed-according to its
| physiological functions system of or
ganic life, aud the sympathetic nervous sys
TEN. There is much in the human econo-
my that is mechanical, and also much that is
chemical in its working In complicated ma
chinery there are many devices in the way
Of moderating and equalizing the power,
10y means of balance wheels and governors,
50 that the operations Of the machine may
| go steadily. Something like this is seen in
the distribution Of power as effected by the
| gangliOnic nervous system.
Again, are mechanical results effected BY
chemical changes and in the respiratory
movements may be noted in connection
| with the aeration Of the blood a kindred
| principle. The more we consider the hu-
man economy, the more marvellous does it
become, and the more does it embrace
within the wide range of its complicated
yet perfect mechanism | do not propose
TO pursue anatomically this subject any far
ther than is sufficient at the outset TO set
us off with clear idea of the separation
of the nervous system into its two general
divisions which | have already done !
wish To impress upon every one hearing
me the wisdom of this arrangement
The reading of Edison's article in the
North American Review of November Sg
on The dangers Of electric lighting, sup
plies US with an apt illustration which To
me is forcible and Of application by analogy.
lie declares that the dangers now existing
depend upon the high-tension currents
which are necessary to work successfully
the lights at remote points from few cen
tres Briefly stated, the remedy is to mul
tiply the centres and work with low tension
circuits, so that accidental contact with so
called live wires need not be necessarily
fatal Now is not this conclusion based
upon the philosophy of physiology Or
ganic life would be in as great jeopardy
from fit of passion in the individual, were
there nothing to modify its power, as from
"a current Of electrical force transmitted by
an electric wire carrying fatal pressure
The intensity Of feeling or passion would
extinguish life, if indeed it be possible Il
imagine existence for day under such al
arrangement Even in spite of the checkt
afforded by this most benefcent plan in tn,
human system, the violence of the emotions
is sometimes overwhelming and fatal.
bsnd Than the intar Je,endenc;es of MIN,
and boJ,, % r., :, ,ha n,,arat;o, ~