The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-22


collection of many organs. much alike in
general structure and mdse or less init
mately connected, yet distinct in location
and in function. Each of these sub-brains
is composed Of group of cells, and when
these cells act their structure changes-a
part of the substance of each is decom-
posed and carried off by the fluids which
battle them, leaving a minute cavity.
This loss must be repaired to enable The
cell to recover its energy and powers,
and for this purpose rest and
supply of proper nutritive material are
essential. If the cells of the nervous GEN.
tiers whose special functions are perception.
ideation and consciousness are inactive we
have what is known as sleep, but one
group of cells may sleep while others are
at work. The nervous centers or sub-brains,
which are used in playing chess or in
specializing on the stock exchange, are no
doubt somewhat different from those
which are active in working out a mathe-
NAUTICAL problem, in writing prescription
or preparing sermon; and also from
those brought into play in painting
picture or composing piece of music.
Certain nerve forces are active in all
these forms of brain work, but the action
OF other centers is more or less peculiar
to each. The consequence is that one of
these sub-brains may be resting, or, in
other words, asleep, while the Others are
active; and not only so, but it may some
times be put to sleep by setting the others
or some of them at work. This is what in
popular language is called turning the
mind from one subject to another, which
Is sometimes very easy and sometimes SO
difficult as to be practically impossible.
1t is greatly to the advantage of the BRAIN
worker that he should be able to control,
to a considerable extent at least. the times
when these several sub-brains shall work
and shall rest and one important means of
doing this is through the agency of phys
ical exercise, involving special exercise of
will and of conscious perception.
Every educated man, whether he be law
yer, clergyman, physician, teacher. liter
airy man, journalist or artist, believes the
oretically that he ought to have certain
amount of physical exercise to maintain
health and to preserve his powers of
thought and of expression of his ideas in
the condition OF efficiency which is essen
tial to his purpose; but, practically, most
of them pay little attention to this need
until some sense of discomfort, or loss of
power, shows them that some damage has
been already done. Then they may go TO
physician, who will probably advise
them, among other things, to take exer-
else. But am not writing for men who
are under the charge of physician, nor
even for those who are beginning to fear
that they may soon require medical adj
vice; hoping rather that this may be read
by some of the many brain-workers be-
tween % and 40 years of age who are still
performing their tasks without special
effort.
The completeness and ease with which
the work of an organ or of an organism is
l.. l.
and regularity with which its functions
are exercised. If this exercise is excessive,
or if it is insufficient, loss of power results
The hraln-worker is liable TO exercise GER
tain parts of his nervous system, and pos
sibly the muscles used in writing, to ex-
cess, and to exercise certain other nerve
centers and the greater part of his muscles
too little. The mere loss OF muscular
power or of capacity for continued physi-
cal effort. which results from this disuse,
is in itself usually trifing matter to him;
but the remote consequences may be ser
ious, and this is especially likely to be the
ease If, while taking little exercise. he con-
times TO eat, drink and smoke as if he
were getting plenty of it.
The effects of rich food, of wine, beer
and alcoholic drinks, and of tobacco, are
very different in men who give their
muscles plenty to do from what they are
in those who do not. The effects in the
latter class vary much with individuals;
some become too fat, others thin and dys-
peptic; one man suffers from obscure
equity and rheumatic troubles, another
from diabetes, a third from incipient and
usually unsupported Bright's disease,
while in a fourth, an irritable or inter
mttent heart, producing sense of want
of breath. is the first symptom that at
tracts attention. These troubles come
upon the idle Younger even more frequently
than upon the braln-worker; it is not the
excess Of cerebral exercise which produces
them.
Simple brain work, without special fric-
ton or worry, has little or no influence in
producing disease or discomfort if the
organism be normal and healthy to COM
mence with; but if the brain has to use
deformed eyes, or obtain it's blood supply
from feeble heart, or to use for fuel blood
which contains salts, or leucomaines. or
albumeses, which are irritating or mar
cotic or otherwise harmful, then trouble
of some Kind may be confidently antici-
pated.
Exercise" or BODILY exercise" or
"physical exercise" are terms commonly
used as if they related only 10 muscular
action, and the amount of exercise which
a man should take in a day IS stated in
terms of mechanical force. For example.
it is estimated that healthy man ought
to take daily amount of exercise equal to
$50 foot tons, that is, to the force required
to lift 80 tons one foot high.
Bnt the physical exercise which have
In mind Is exercise of the nervous system