Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-09-02
z0LA'S WORK CURE.
CLEVER EXPOSITION OF 4 BRIGHT
FRENCH PHYSICIAN.

4
Hraln Wsrk - Remedy Rsr Nervous fn-
vaisas-rAs lasersasing ard Impressive
Exa.apl. Of viessr Huge-rAe Phiiase-
rhy 81 Labor.
Abiding to Zoia's stirring discourse 10
the students, my kind collesgue, NJ. Boaia'.
has the amiability to remind me that the
idea Of a methedical medical treatment by
work belongs in principle to me.
lam very proud Of his quoting me in this
way. but tie idea Of work ~ normally help
, full would rsNily not he sufficiently harry
and new discovery il ! did not entseavor 10
say more definitely in what way ''lahor" Is
helpful to our human mechanism, To what
/ real want Of the mind il corresponds aud
under what conditions it would be hnc
6cial
| Medical men have neglected to write--at
| least in popular terms-aboat the cerions
psychology of the brainworkers and that oil
| intelligent siu;sards. Perhaps can. by d'-
vesting this captivating problem OF its in
tricate technicalities, write few words
| about IL that might be worthy the interest
of more than one Of our readers aad make
them understand how profound, legitimate
i anu III Wita fNfNHsAe>>S - sA> w
vice apparently somewhat tririall that
Zola gives us--the advice To work in order
To forget suffering and doubt.
| LIST us to this end picture to our>cl, as, in
most rudimentary simplicity, this nervous
| system OF man. which the least agrce TO con
| slider ss the incarnation of the spnl, Is s..,s
| terial form, SO 10 speak.
| We can cuntlense IL in few worsls--thts:
| First. a central apparatus which represents
/ the brain, and then the nerves, white lila
\ ments that connect the least part Of our OF
ganism with the brain center.
The nerves are nothing but the conduct
ing apparatus-telephon wirss, one might
| say.
Their function is twofold one: First, 10
con ,uet 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 10 act
| and move. This is the part Of the motor
| nerves.
| Almost every nerve center is complex anu
serves a double purpose--to transmit to tbs
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 mort obe-
| dent servant.
| As to the brain. this Is its function--to
receive, whether consciously or not. the inn
pressons 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 funrtic''
can be reduced to this elementary image
the coming and returning of "a 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 &C
tons. All considered. the true detinition
Of this tine word "sensiblity" can only be
the centripetal nervous phenomenon" (oh,
| what awful wordsN, the centrifugal phe-
nomenon representing action.
| We are therefore really but n machine In
regard TO incessant exchange Except dur
ing the hours of Sleep with the exterior
world. 1t gives to rs, and we continually
give back. The functions of the nervous
system can comparatively he reduced SIM
ply to 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 cumbustibles to trans
form them into work and useful realiza-
tions. One measures rather imperfcctly
still but one does measure the dynamic
variations of this machine. Well, the com
bustible of the brain, its source of strength,
is sensation. The nervous vibration TINT
| spn- 4, ihY brain ppueutlrs the Xibrni ION
that leaves it, If our mind is capable of
willing. of creating of producing. II is be
cause IL has been fed, often unConscnlisly,
by very intense sensations to such point
that fwho would think IT'D the most sensi
tive are the strongest.
|, This il 50 contrary TO common opinion
that | might justify it somewhat.
To speak only of intellectual work, let
us take for example Victor Hugo--none
could be more typical
Judging from the splcndor and enormity
| Of his works, he certainly was strong. IL
| appears from all that has been said of
him that no man showed less feeling. To
all those who lived with him he seemed
somewhat of a demigod whom moral suffer.
ing could not touch and who could not he
moved by the sorrows Of the heart This
seems disastrous to the theory which up
hold.
ON the contrary, il will sustain it as soon
As we understand the meaningof the words.
In the long life during which he lost SO
many dear to him. the poet hardly ever had
any of those moments of moral detection or
wept for himself. What he lacked then
was the power to express ia the ordinary
| way human and individual emotions or the
lensitions which ass,,iled him. But these
v.iisations were not less intense On the
contrary, his sensitive nerves without ceas
Ing carried floods Of this increasing ceutrip
etal vibration which Is the true sensitive
ness. only, understand me we'll instead of
changing them into feeling, weakness or
emotion Ito use the right verdi, he trans
formed them all Immediately into work and
literature. Instead Of allowing himself 10
BE- overwhelmed aud tortured by these forces
Of scnsibility which were so strong in him.
be carried them outside and continually re-
turned them under the form Of useful work
Twice in his life he suffered most cruel
| blows--at Nillequiet, where his daughter
| WAS drowned, with her husband, weel
| after their wedding, and on the I'd of Dc
ccmber, when lac was exled.
What did he make out of it2 Very few
| tears or personal agony, but two prodigiotls
| works OF incompatible force OF expression
| one Of grief, the other of indignation.
The second volume Of "COntemplaiions.
| which will make generations weep in hi
| stead aud thoS' scourging 'Chatiments,"
| by which so many souls have been reused
| to vengeance, stirred by his flaming verses,
| were the results.
| Don't you see in this example, not only
/ carried to an extreme, but to the marvel
| Gus, the influence Of work which brings for
| getfuness and anuihilates pain. Maurice
| lie Fleury in Boston Transcript.
The Choice Of Weapons.
| TWAS Paul de CassagBac who wrote to
| Victor Noir:
1 az. h.. nfyaplaJ ,nr.v \ kava th.