Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-18
NERVOUS DEBILITY.
EFFECT DAILY SURROUNDINGS HAVE
UPON THE DISEASE.

Primary CoIors for the Eye That Do Not
gate the Trouble-The Subject of Light
Is Important-Care of the Ear.
As, a long while ago, l installed myself
in my new dwelling ! was not a little sur
prised on first inspection to find condi-
ton of things which ran precisely counter
to my wishes and directions This disap-
pointment was chiefly ascribable to the
multiplicity and variety of colors that had
been selected. Not that my favorite tints
had been forgotten, but the great diversity
displeased and disappointed me so much
the more, as had previously directed that
decided tone should be preserved in re-
spect to all the other colors which were to
be purely decorative, and that were simply
to be brought in unison with the primary
tint.
10 my representations | received the
answer: such a disposition is modern
only, and in regard to the unity or effect /
might fully tranquiliZe myself. Not until
the entire apartments had been fitted up in
the manner proposed would everything
blend together, and thereby harmonious
effect and ensemble be produced" This
view, however, could not at all concur in,
for the contrast of color was so vivid that
it impressed my eyes disagreeably in the
highest degree. To this the fact also con-
trlbuted that the tintS were of the Iiveliest
tone
AS a sequence to this disagreeable i'm
preston, | experienced certain weakness
OF this organ, which, in view of the fire.
quent recurrence of such overeXertion,
was in no wise slightly prejudiced, 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
nervousness.
WHAT NERVOUS DEBILITY Is.
We must, therefore, speak of such in re-
spect to the eye, just as in respect to any
other organ, in so far as it is nervously de-
bilitated in exact proportion as it is itself
weakened.
What is characterized for the most part
as nervous debility in a person is, in fact,
nothing more than the sum of the nerv-
business of the individual organ As con-
sequence, it is not a matter of Indifference
how we select the colors OF our dwellings.
Daily our vision wanders over the latter,
and 1t will not escape the attentive OBJ
server how much the vivid and dazzling
lrritates the optic nerve, how much mild
and healthy primary tone, on the other
hand, viii animate and srefresh it. For
this reason it is highly important that our
eyes be accustomed to rest upon prevail
ing tint with which everything will har-
monte. This is applicable not merely to
the dwelling, but also TO our clothiu:. and
so on; in short, to all those subjects in
which we have TO deal with colors
STU! more frequent occasions for render
ing the eye nervously weak are afforded by
conditions of light, for too much as well as
too little light is equally prejudicial. In
earlier times duskiness was agreeable.
People sat often and long in dark rooms,
and were pleased TO order lights not until
1t grew late-late, at least, in the present
acceptatIon of the term, when they insist
in living as far as possible in a full light"
But they do not reflect that as a general
rule they carry this too far, and that there
by strong impulSion is given TO an ever
increasing shortsightedness Self obser-
walton and experience will here teach what
Is the just mean.