The Critic and record., 1891-05-05
SOOTHING TO THE NERVES.
That is DR.. Rosse's Professional Opin
ion of Washington.

ion of Washington.
DR.. Irving G. Rosse is one of the great
specialists of the country in brain and
nervous diseases. He is as well known in
New York rs lie is in this city. He has
travelled all over the world and has made
a lifelong study of the dark regions of
mans brain. Personally, he is an enter
tanning and very eloquent talker. This
being the season of medical congresses it
was natural that DR.. Rose, when the
CRlTlC-RECoRp reporter called upon him
at the Albany should dwell upon sub
ject which was the burden of the thoughts
of so many wise and scientific men. Said
the doctor:
During the last week or ten days we
have heard and read a great deal about in
sanity and cranks. If may be pardoned
for the use of Baconian phrase, the sub
ject has been more labored than advanced.
AprOpos of the supposed American
colloqualism crank it is not generally
known that this word is old English and
occurs in Burton's Anatomy of Melan-
choly.'
In no other city than Washington,
continued the Doctor reilectively, will
one find, relatively, more persons of
broken fortunes, dead hopes, and bank
rupt nervous systems. The National
Capital appears to be the Mecca of such
people as well as the dumping ground of
the INDECENT negro. Here have been OBJ
served instances of phalic worship and
Voodooism that still marks the trail of the
serpent in the African race. In the street
crowds may be seen CountenanCes that
are speaking epitaphs of long dead ambi-
ton and energy. One may meet in the
public places not only the 'iedges and
kurnels' who frequent the hotel lobbies,
but the Patent Office and Library cranks,
strange grades of queerness and political
asphyXia, and talk face to face with men
of the Guiteau stamp and Colonel Sellers
| conformation. In the course of events,
undoubtedly, a certain proportion of these
| great legislators, inventors, and the like,
| ultimately overstep the border line to
| join the lists of hopeless paretics and
dement's that crowd our asylums."
Doctor, do politics set many people
crazy ?'' asked the reporter, who has
political leanings himself.
| Politics, replied the doctor, 'are not
impelling causes of brain or nervous dis
ease. On the contrary, all the evidence
that have collected for several years on
this point, both at home and abroad, goes
to show that during great political COM
motions such diseases are less frequent
Available information seems to show,
however, that our statesmen and public
men do not remain in active life so long,
| Oll hNSluBC, up VllSdESI
in similar careers. For instance, there
were and are Lord Melbourne, Earl Grey
Lord Aberdeen, Earl Derby, Lord Bea
consfield, Lord Palmerston, who died as
Premier at 81 years; Lord John Russell
whose long and active political career
ended only with death at 80, and Mr.
Gladstone, who is now in his SD year.
Without discussing the causes that lead
to long life it may be said generally thai
| thp cultivation and ,lrnntipn nf Ngiuprnu,
bodily habits and out door sports conduct
largely to that end. Many people, speak
ing OF politics as the cause of the breakinl
down, confound cause and effect, as il
naming religion as cause of disease. A.
matter of fact it is not the cause tina
constitutes disease, the malady is consti
tuted by the peryersion that results from
the cause. Cold may cause bronchitis
yet, i'll this instance, the physician doe
not treat the cause, but the effect, and
fall may cause fracture of leg, in whicl
case the surgeon treats the fracture no
the fall Causes produce trouble in organ
or in functions, but the trouble alone con
stitutes the malady These principles ar
general and applicable to all pathology
and mental and nervous diseases are Ii
exception to the law"
You do not, then regard politics as
prolific or common cause of insanity o
brain diseasep' asked the reporter.
81 do not" SAID the doctor. "Politic
no more than religion cause nervous dis
eases; rather as a symptom that lend
color to the disease. Nor do / think tina
the stress Of political life or residence i
our parliamentary city in any way cor
duce to nervous disturbance. Absence G
life and hustle of great commercial towns
the languor of the climate aud tn
spirit of delay that pervades all classe
rather contribute to the serene quiet thG
an overworked and sleepless sufferer S
much needs. 1t is a matter Of record thf
more than one New Yorker has bee
cured of insomnia on listening to th
prosy stories to be heard in certain clu
in Washington. ! may quote the simpl
observation of the sable Virginian VIII
fetches my breakfast, which led him I
remark, IN contrasting this with othC
cities he has visited, that Every day hei
pears like Sunday, even after comm
from place like Philadelphia.