Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-17
Nervous Debility.

Or. Strum IN Ueber Land una Nicer
As, = long while Ngo. installed myself in nv
new dwelling, was not a little surprised, on
first inspection, 10 find a condition Of things
which ran precisely counter to nv wishes and
directions. This disappointment was chiefly
ascribsble to the multiplicity and variety Of
colors that had been selected. Not that nv
favorite tints had been forgotten. but the great
diversity displeased and disappointed me 20
much the more, as l had previously directed
that decided tone should be preserved in re-
spect TO all the other colors which were 10 be
purely decorative, and that were simply to be
brought in unison with the primary tint
To my representations I received the answer:
''Such disposition is modern only, and in re-
gard to the unity or effect might fully tran
quilize 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 pro-
duced." This view, however, could not at all
concur in. for the contrast of color was SO vivid
that 1t impressed my eyes dsagreeably in the
highest degree. To this fact also contributed
that the tints were Of the liveliest tone. AS
sequence to this disagreeable impression, ex-
perienced certain weakness of this organ
which, in view Of the frequent recurrence Of
such over exertion, was in no wise slightly
prejudiced. for the eve has its nerves we'll az
every other organ The more force exercised
by the former, the stronger becomes its iu-
fuence upon the latter, for in the inverse ratio
with the strength of the eye decreases that OF
its nervous constitutional condition which il
called nervous debility, or rather nervousness.
We must, therefore, speak of such in respect to
the eye just as in respect to any other organ,
in so far as il is nervously debilitated in exact
proportion il is itself weakened.
| What is characterized for the most part as
nervous debility in person is in fact nothing
more than the sum Of the nervousness OF the
| individual organ. As q consequence, ii is not
/ Q matter of indifference how We select the
eoiors Of our dwellings. ally our vision wan
| ders over the latter and it will not escape the
attentive observer how much the vivid and
/ dazzling irritates the optic nerve, how much a
mild and healthy primary tone, on the other
\ hand. will animate and refresh it. For this
reason ii is highly important that our ewes be
| accustomed to rest upon prevailing tint with
which everything will naturally harmonize.
| This is applicable not merely TO the dwelling.
| but also to our clothing. and 90 on; in short to
all those subjects In which We have to deal
with colors.
Still more frequent occasions for rendering
| the eye nervously weak are afforded BY condi-
tions 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 it grew late-late, at least, in
| the present acceptation of the term, when they
insist in living as far possible in a full
/ light But they do not reflect that A. a gem
eral rule, they carry this too far and that
increasing short-sightedness. Self-observation
and experience viii here teach what is the Just
| mean. as have shown in detail in NV work on
| the prevention and cure Of nervous debility.
A third faculty of the eve is that of perceiv-
| ing the shapes and forms of things around U.S.
Here too, no excess should be committed in
| our contemplation of too many men or Objects
especially when the latter passing before
| the eyes in rapid alienation. This is the more
| important. rs without this the eve is very much
exerted. and, therefore, peculiar conditions de-
mand corresponding foresight. That reading
| too much fine print. and SO FORTH should na tu-
| rally do injury to the eyes every one Of NV
readers will already sufficiently know. Not less
than our organ OF sight that Of hearing de-
mands a like care and economy. While men
accord to the body, through the agency of ath-
yeiopment, this sense has to content itself. for
the most part. with what casually falls to its lot
One does not consider the fact that the ear is
irritated and weakened by the din Of machinery
or the uproar of the street. &c. He il sur
prised, indeed, to find that his ear for music
becomes more and more prejudicially affected
by residence in noisy cities. The senses and
the brain must be sedulously fostered il we
wish that their power should remain more or
less intact. This attention should be accorded
them not alone for their own sake, but also for
the sake of our bodies, which sustain all the
more detriment the greater the damage expe-
rience0 by the former. Experience teaches
that in the same ratio as our organs of sense
and mental power become enfeebled disorder
and debility manifest themselves in our d.
gestion, respiration and capacity for move
ment, and innumerable nervous maladies re-
main unhealed and uncured for the reason that
the relations between the body, mind and SEN
sorium are not carefully watched and pre-
served.