The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-10
,WERICA'S MALADY.
..rcssLL SAYS SUCH IS DIS
w rAee or THE NERVES.

,..ses- Climate an Important
The Tour Hundred All Right.
v.r Mitchell Of Philadelphia, a
iH authority on nervous diseases,
~ interview had some very inter
".' ...nrs 20 soy with regard 70 what ne
c. .thc Characteristic malady OF the
sns.on." Possibly as a specialist
rrronsciously disposed TO over
.. r..e. but his observation and eK-
f.' trrlaims. re enforced bystatis-
.l.,, that nervous disorders arc
.f,a n alarming ratio every year.
t.- of deaths from this cause IL
...ra.lIng and is steadily growing.
..1f the busy centers, Dr. Mitchell
...-.d as saying the "taoies Oh NOR
N'.. show that the proportion Oh nerve
-.t f.a multiplied more than 20 times Ia
t..sl vears and that now the nerve
...,.Ler more than one-fourth OF all
,..a. recorded. What Is most shock
...se returns is that this fearful loss
occurs mainly among young people
...r...rs. This means that the Amer
.... fast becoming a short lived peo-
..fitllev were shut in on themselves
rr. rv years and without any in
t,.tr-aEiy by immigration the publ
...-.fthc census would send a pang Of
..-...l alarm throughout the land"
r- nr..feu is of the opinion that the
49,, and most potent cause Of the preva-
-.rvaus q ceases is 20 be found In
.....rte but why the climate tends 70
r..rffan be- does not undertake TO cx-
.. unless it be the frequent and sudden
--s NJ temperature peculiar 20 some
..f. more tl.ckly settled sections. What
..-an. Dee says. is that people coming
.-.e'r from the phlogmatic races undergo
.l..re n temperament here and become
.-....e emotional and irritable in de-
-..t.Ht unknown in any other part Of
Isv.rd" Another effect of the Amer
...r.uate, he thinks, is that II makes
.-s strain Of either mental or physical
tI.r much more severe than II Is else
...-s people being able 10 work much
,...r a-d harder with head and hands
..l..t Injurious consequences in England
add og tbrc0ntinent than in this country.
Tie climate in many sections Of tho
r--.d 5rutes IS unquestionably very try
i.- and its eject upon the general phys
..I institution may be manifested very
traauy in impairment Of the nervous
....m But 10 is extremely doubtful If it
EN- On, REGARDED as "the most potent cause'
.frs national malay. The other causes
,.vlich Dr. Mitchell refers are probably
rfe largest measure responsible for the
..f.rtuDate conditions which he notes
namely. the mad rush and perpetual strain
rfcrr business life. which ruins the health
m oYr men. and The dollhouse system OF
.3urotion. which wrecks the constitutions
Cf o1r girls.
Thatit is unhealthy physical and mental
.1rIitiOns rather than the climate which
--oduco these results is suggested by The
s.ct cits3 by Dr. Mitchell that the preya
f.rce of the more serious nervous diseases Is
ir almost exact proportion 20 the conges-
zion of population. People who live calm,
..iat wholesome lives in tbe country are
f.r less liable 50 them than the inhabitants
of cities where the strain on mind and
loJv ia gieater and where the physical en-
viroumcnt offers little opportunity for
heoli,g bv natural means the evils Of arti-
fciol and unhealthy modes of existence.
over the climate, whether it be good or
had. ,ge have. as De says, no control, but
Tor the dollar deyiw and the educational
devil we arc responsible, and with regard
90 them be utteIs some strong words of pro-
fea0nal warming We pride ourselves on
the early aee 40 which American men reach
positions Of responsibility, but they do so
al the cost Of the delicate nervous maChin-
cry that is essential TO happiness as well as
health. The male American, after being
tortured by the eXacti0nS Il despotio
school system, enters business "far too
young. aud he straightway consumes his
vita. energy tin nothing is left but dust and
a.Les." The end Of IL all is "a country of
young iuvalids, young wrecks, young drug
victims. young incbriates, young maniacs,
Young suicides The educational devil
does lbs work quite as effectively in regard
u the girls
"The hower Of American womanhood,"
ufs Dr. Mitchell. lis wiltcd by Oyercul-
ture before 30 comes fully into bloom"
ILel long hours the multiplicity of studies,
tIeambiti0n Of parents and teachers who
stimulate their pupils to e0ertiOns far be
you'd their strength and the attendant
evils al buried meals, want of exercise,
broken sleep and excitement condemn
t.., of thousands OF American women TO
a.'ecf misery aud uselessuess before they
l.r. ceased to be children" 1t would be
i.rr. bee maintains, that American girls
s...l LOT be educated at all until they
la Do after which they may study with
les u-a. than thst they should be over
vr glt as they are at present
Iae lrisurely. pleasure seeking classes,
tepo.uts out, are comparatively free from
lrfols disease. "ihey toll not, neither
cothy spin They dress warm and COM
tgaty They eat and drink plentifully
AID o.. the best They have constant vari-
eli ana relaxation, and they do not bother
tna.ve, about anything ID particular
II tuem8ss Of American women led the
te o.. The -Four Hundred, specialists in
nervous diseases would find their occupa-
Um gone For one woman who breaks
lnm trough fashionable folly a score are
c.rel by overstrain in the serious af-
tno lie"
ia short. the national malady is due to
Uec.aracter Of our national life. We are
lta much OF a hurry about everything.
hera our brains and our nervous systems
uue plan o. a lightning express and eX-
~ t..m 90 work from morning till night
ct- principle Of rapid transit. In fact,
Fe.etoo rapid by half, and DR. Mitchell
v.r. us tlar II we persist in this rapidly
NeN.l transit nationally as quickly as
reL4tc developed sun.
lL--rLlrn az LlIcTORIANQ