The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-10-11
ZOLA'S WORK CURE.
CLEVER EXPOSITION OF A BRIGHT
FRENCH PHYSICIAN.

Abiding to Zolas stirring discourse to
the students, my kind colleague, NJ. Boulat,
has the amability to remind me that the
Idea of methodical medical treatment by
work belongs in principle to me.
am very proud of his quoting me in this
way, but the idea of work as normally help
full would really not be "A sufficiently happy
and new discovery If did not endeavor to
say more definitely i'm what way labor is
helpful to our human mechanism, to what
real want of the mind it corresponds and
under what conditions it would be bene-
fetal
Medical men have neglected to write--at
least in popular terms-about the curious
psychology of the braiuworkers and that of
intelligent sluggards Perhaps can, by di-
vesting this captivating problem of its in
tricate technicalties, write Il few words
about it that might he worthy the interest
of more than one of our readers and make
them understand how profound, legitimate
and in harmony with psychology is the adj
vice apparently somewhat trivial that
lola gives us-the advice to work in order
to forget suffering and doubt.
Let us to this end picture to ourselves in
most rudimentary simplicity, this nervous
system of man, which the least agree to con.
slider as the incarnation of the soul, its ma
terial form, so to speak.
We can condense it in a few words-thus:
First, "A central apparatus which represents
the brain, and then the nerves, white fila
ments that connect the least part of our or
ganism with the brain center
The nerves are nothing but the conduct
ing apparatus-telephon wires, one might
say.
Their function is twofold one: First, to
conduct to the center the impressions born
by contact with the outer world-this is
the part of the nerves called 'sensitive;"
and secondly, starting from the center, to
give to the different organs the order to act
and move. This is the part of the motor
nerves.
Almost every nerve centeris complex and
serves double purpose-to transmit to the
commanding power the impressions of our
five senses, and then to carry the commands
of that power to the acting organ, the mus
cular cell, that unreasoning and most ODE
dent servant.
AS to the brain, this is its function-to
receive, whether consciously or not, the i'm
pressions of the senses and to give them
shape from which springs the desire for
corresponding action
If several impressions take shape at the
same time, the strongest, the most urgent
determines the choice of action. The will,
the soul, decide, and the gesture obeys.
Thus the sensation is transformed and
reflected in voluntary act. The angle of
this reflection is in the brain. In short, the
human organism in its noblest functions
can be reduced to this elementary image
the coming and returning of nervous vi
bration, "a receiver in the first part of its
passage and a motor in the second. We re-
ceive sensations and change them into ac-
tippS A IL pSiIaraJ G,,it
of this fine word 'sensibility" can only be
1.-THE centripetal nervous phenomenon" (oh,
what awful wordsD, the centrifugal phe-
nomenon representing action.
We are therefore really but machine in
regard to incessant exchange Except dur
ing the hours of Sleep with the exterior
world. 1t gives to us, and we continually
give back. The functions of the nervous
system can comparatively be reduced sim
ply to a problem of natural mechanism.
The word mechanism" implies force
and here we enter into the heart of the sub
ject. Like all machines, the brain in activ
ity uses heat-burns combustibles to trans
form them into work and useful reali4a
tions. One measures rather imperfectly
STILL but one does measure the dynamic
variations of this machine. Well, the com
bustible of the brain, it's source of strength
is sensation. The nervous vibration that
goes to the brain engenders the vibration
that leaves it. If our mind is capable OF
willing, of creating, of producing, it is be
cause it has been fed, often unconsciously
by very intense sensations to such point
that (Hho would think itf) the most sensi
tive are the strongest.
This is so contrary to common opinion
that | might justify it somewhat.
To speak only of intellectual work, lei
us take for example Victor Hugo-nont
could be more typical.
Judging from the splendor and enormity
of his works. he certainly was strong. il
appears from all that has been said O
him that no man showed less feeling Tt
all those who lived with him he seemed
somewhat of demigod whom moral suffer
ing could not touch and who could not b,
moved by the sorrows of the heart This
seems disastrous to the theory which up
hold.
On the contrary, it will sustain it as soor
swe understand the meaning of the words
In the long life during which he lost 81
many dear to him, the poet hardly ever haC
any of those moments of moral detection o
wept for himself. What he lacked thel
was the power to express in the ordinar,
way human and individual emotions or thu
sensations which assailed him. But thes
sensations We're not less intense. On thu
contrary, his sensitive nerves without ceas
ing carried floods of this increasing centrip
etal vibration which is the true sensitive
ness Only, understand me well, instead o
changing them into feeling, weakness o
emotion Ito use the right world, he trans
formed them all Immediately into work an,
literature. Instead of allowing himself t
be overwhelmed and tortured by these force
he carried them outside and continually IT
turned them under the form of useful work
Twice in his life he suffered most crue
blows-at Villequiet where his daughte
was drowned, with her husband a weel
after their wedding, and on the I'd of De
cember, when he was eXiled.
What did he make out of it? Very fey
tears or personal agony, but two prodigiou
works of incompatible force of eXpressio
one of grief the other of indignation
The second volume of "Contemplations,
which will make generations weep in hi
stead, and those scourging "Chatiments,
by which so many souls have been rouse
to vengeance, stirred by his flaming verse,
were the results.
Don't you see in this example, not onl
carried to an extreme, but to the marve
Gus, the influence of work which brings fo
getfuness and annihilates pain.-MauriC
de Fleury in Boston Transcript.
Encourage Children to Sleep.
Children who are allowed or rather Ell
couraged to take nap in the daytime wi
NOT only sleeD inst as well at night, bu