The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-01-02
NERVOUS DEBILITY.
DR.. strum. of Berlin. on the Causes of the
DiscaSe.
TRANSLATED for Public Opinion from urbcr Land Al

DIR. Strum, of Berlin. on the Causes of the
Discaxe.
Translated for Public Opinion from Urbcr Land and
Nicer.
As, n long while ago. installed myself
in my new dwelling, was not 4 little sur
priscd, on first inspection TO find a condi
ton OF things which ran precisely counter
to my wishes and directions. This disap-
pointment was chiefly ascribablc to the
multiplicity and variety Of colors that had
been selected Not that my favoric tints
had been forgotten, hut the great diversity
displcased and dissatisfied me so much the
more, as had previously directed that IL
decided tone should be preserved i'll re-
spcct TO all the other colors which were
to be purely decorative and that were sim
PLY To he brought in unison with the pri-
mary tint. To my representations ] re-
ccivcd the answer:
"Such disposition is modern only, and
in regard to the unity of effect | might
fully tranquilize myself. Not until the
entire apartments has been fitted up in
the manner proposed would everything
blend together. and thereby a harmonious
effect and ensemble be produced. This
view however, could not AT all concur
in, for the contrast in color was so vivid
that il impressed my eyes disagrccably in
the highest degree To this the fact also
contributed that the tints were Of the
livclicst tone.
As sequence to this dsagrccablc i'm
preston, experienced a certain weakness
of this organ which, in view ofthc frequent
recurrence of ovcreXcrtion, was in nOwise
slightly prciudiced, for the eye has its
nerves as well as every other organ. The
more force exercised by the former, the
stronger becomes its influence upon the
latter, for in the inverse ratio with the
strength of the eye decreases that of its
nervous constitutional condition which
is called nervous debility. or rather ncrv-
business We must therefore, speak Of
such in respect TO the eye just as in re-
spect to any other organ, in so far as it Is
nervously dcblitatcd in exact proportion
rs it is itself weak ancd What is charac-
tcriZcd for the most part as nervous de-
bilty in Il person is. in fact, nothing more
than the sum of the nervousness ofthc in
dividual organ. AS Il consequence it is
not Il matter of Indifference how We select
the colors of our dwellings.
Daily our vision wandcrS over the latter.
and il will not escape the attentive Oh
server how much the vivid and dazzling
irritatcs the optic nerve. how much mild
and healthy primary tone, on the other
hand, will animate and reircslcn il. For
this reason it is highly important that
our ewes be accustomed to rest upon Il
prevailing tint with which every thing will
naturally harmonic. This is applicable
not merely TO the dwelling but also 10 our
clothing. and so on, in short to all those
subjects in which we have to deal with
colors Still more frequent occasions for
rendering the eyes nervously weak are
afforded by conditions of light, fer too
mach as too little light is equally prejG-
dicial. In earlier times duskiness was
agreeable People sat often and long in
dark rooms and were pleased to order
lights not until ii grew laie-latc, at least.
in the present acceptation of The term.
when they insist in living as far as posi-
bile in II full light iuj they do no; lc-
feet that IL Il general rule they carry tbs
too far. and that thereby strong imru!-
sion is given to an cvcr-incrcdsng short
sightcdness.
Seli-obscrvation and experience will
here teach what is the ust mean, as have
shown in detail in my work on the pres
crvaton and cure of nervous debility.
\ third faculty OF the eye is that OF per-
ceiving the shapes and forms OF things
around us. Here. too. no excess should
he committed in our contemplation OF too
many men or objects especially when the
latter are passin" before our eyes i'll rapid
alienation. This is the more important.
as without this the eye is very much ex-
crtcd. aud therefore peculiar conditions
demand corresponding foresight. That
reading too much fine print, and 50 ior'l,
should naturally do injury to the eye cv-
cry one of my readers will already sulil-
GENTLY know. Not less than our organ OF
sight, that of hearing demands like care
and economy While men accord to the
body through the agency Of athletic and
gvmnastic exercises systematic develop
ment. this sense has to content Itself. tor
the most part. with what casually falls to
its lot.
One docs not consider the fact that the
ear is irritatcd and weakened by the Gin
of machinery or tic uproar OF the street,
etc. He is surprised, indeed. TO find that
hi, ear for music becomes more and more
prciudiciully affected hy = residence in
noisy cities The senses and the BRAIN
must he scduIousv foStcrcd it We wish
that their power should remain more or
les, intact This attention should he
accorded then not alone for their own
sake. but also for the sake OF our bodies,
which sustain all the more detrimcn' the
greater the damage experienced by the
former. Experience teaches that IN the
same ratio as our organs OF sense and
mental newer become enich,Gd. disorder
and DEBILITY manifest themselves in our
digestion respiration and capacity icr
movement. and innumcra"c nervous mai
aides remained unhcalcd and uncurcd for
The reason that the relations between
the body. mind and scnSorium are not
carefully watched and preserved.
JAMES LANE ALIENS LECTURE.