Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-22

than their muscles in the work upon which
they are ENGAGED.
The brain is not single organ, but a col
lection of many organs, much alike in gen.
eral structure and more or less intimately
connected, yet distinct in location and in
functions. Each of these sub-brains is COM
posed Of a group of cells, and when these
cells act their structure changes-a part of
the substance of each is decomposed and
carried off bv the fluids which bathe them,
leaving a minute cavity. This loss must be
repaired to enable the cell to recover its en-
ergv and powers, and for this purpose rest
and supply of proper nutritive material
are essential
The Science of Change of Work.
If the cells of the nervous centers 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 nerve centers or sub-brains
which are used in playing chess or in
sneculating on the Stock Exchange, are no
doubt somewhat different from those which
are active in working out a mathematical
problem, in writing q prescri ption or pre-
pairing a sermon; and also for those brought
into plav in painting picture or compos-
ing a 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 consequences 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 bv 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 an important
means Of doing this is through the agency
of physical exercise involving special exer-
else of will and of conscious perception.
Every educated man, whether he be LAWYER,
clergyman, physician, teacher, literary
man, journalist or artist, believes theoreti-
callv 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 con-
dition of efficiency which is essential 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.
High Living and Good Exercise.
Then they may go to physician, who will
probably advise them, among other things,
TO take exercise. But l am not writing for
men who are under the charge of physi-
clan. nor even for those who are beginning
10 fear that they NAV soon require medical
advice; hoping rather that this NAV be read
BY some OF the many brainworkers between
% AID 80 years of age who are still per-
forming their tasks without special effort.
The completeness and ease with which
the work OF an organ or of an organism is
done depend largely upon the frequency
and regularity with which its functions are
exercised. If this exercise is excessive, or
if it is insufficient, loss of power results.
The brain-worker is liable to exercise cer-
tain parts of his nervous system, and pos
sibly the muscles used in writing, to excess.
aud to exercise certain other nerve centers
and the greater part of his muscles 100 little.
The mere loss of muscular power or of
capacity for continued physical effort,
which results from this disuse, is in itself
usually a triiing matter to him; but the re-
mote consequences may be serious, and this
is especially likely to be the case if, while
taking little exercise, he continues to eat
urlnK ana smoke as II ne were SettluS
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 dyspeptic; one man
suffers from obscure gouty and rheumatic
troubles, another from diabetes, third
from incipient and usually unsuspected
Bright's disease, while, in fourth, an ir-
ritable or intermittent heart, producing a
sense OF want of breath, is the first symptom
that attracts attention. These troubles
come upon the idle lounger even more fire.
quently than upon the brain-worker; it is not
the excess Of cerebral exercise which pro-
duces them.
How Brain Depends Upon Body.
Simple brain work, without special fric-