The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-13

The importance of Occasional Absoiut.
Cessation of .WOrk

Inc importance OF Occasional Absolute
Cessation of Work.
AS there are so many degrees of ner
vous exhaustion, so are there many
methods of restoration. What woul0
De pleasant exercise to ono might prove
laborious exertion to another, and what
would be soothing to one might be irri
tatlng to another. In all cases. how
ever, complete nerve rest implies the
maintenance of agreeable sensation and
the avoidance of nervous agitation. II
may not be possible to obtain such alb
solute rest as is here indicated. but the
aim of treatment is to secure as near an
approach TO 1t as can be attained b,
legitimate means. No means are usec
which might injure the general health.
Inc TACT that women are more Liable
than men to the severer forms of nes
vous exhaustion is one reason WHY the
cases quoted are chiefly those of women.
Another reason is that in men it is rare.
~ possible TO study this stage of the
disease uncomplicated by the effects OF
alcoholic indulgence. Most men who
find themselves becoming victims OF
worries of life by taking refuge in drink,
SO that they usually bring upon them.
selves other diseases of alcoholic origin.
In women this was not formerly the
habit. but there is reason to believe that
the late Increase of inebriety among them
is largely due TO the spread of nervous ex.
haustiOn. On the other hand, there ars
many cases in both sexes where alco-
holic indulgence has undoubtedly been
the chief cause of the ailment AL
though the most severe forms of this dis
ease have alone been discussed. il must
not be supposed that milder forms do
not also require special nerve rest This
can not be secured without more or less
change being made in the ordinary
mode of life. Nervous agitation is the
chief cause of nervous exhaustion. tis
almost impossible even for healthy
man TO avoid certain amount of agita-
ton in connection with his affairs.
while for the nervous man it is abso-
lutely impossible. For the latter, there
fore, frequent holiday is essential.
The way OF spending such holiday is
matter of urgent Importance. Many
nervous sufferers return home worse
than when they left They climb
mountains in Switzerland when they
ought to be lettering on the seashore or
lounging on the deck Of an ocean steam
err. They rise early ".-0 make the best
of to-day when they had better lie
several hours longer to fix the benefits
Of yesterday. Like the unskilled rider.
who dismounts for relief. they are fire.
quently driven to bed to recover from
their holiday exertions. The amount of
exercise must be regulated by it's effect
on head or spine. Mere muscular ia
tigue may be overcome by regular walk
ing, but nervous fatigue must be en-
tirely avoided. If the patient can not
take sufficient exercise to sustain his
appetite and digestion, he had bet
ter undergo an hours massage daily
And when he has once gained the power
of walking from five to ten miles day
without fatigue of head or spine, he
ought, by constant practice, to endeavor
to retain it. There is no better pre-
ventive of nervous exhaustion than
regular, unhurried, muscular exercise.
Ii we could moderate our hurry. lessen
our worry and increase our open-air ex-
ercise, a large portion of nervous dis
eases would be abolished. For those
who can not get sufficient holiday, the
best substitute is an occasional day in
bed. Many whose nerves are constantly
strained in their daily vocation have
discovered this for themselves. A
Spanish merchant in Barcelona told his
medical man that he always went to bed
for two or three days whenever he could
be spared from his business. and he
laughed at those who spent their holt
days on tOilSOme mountains. One of the
hardest-wOrked women in England, who
has for many years conducted large
wholesale business, retains excellent
nerves at an advanced age, owing. it is
believed. to her habit of taking one day
a week in bed. If we can not avoid fire.
quent agitation. we ought if possible,
to give the nervous system time to re-
cover itself between the shocks. Even
an hours seclusion after good lunch
will deprive a hurried, anxious day of
much of its injury. The nerves can
often be overcome by stratagem when
they refuse to be controlled by strength
of will.-American Analyst.