The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-07-08
NERVOUS DISEASES.
A Pbysician's View of the Rush and Worry
Incident to Modern Life.
Especial Correspondence

a fhyslcians Wow OF the Hush and Worry
Incident to Modern Life.
Especial Correspondence
PITTsBURG, July 5.-"Unless you
have taken pains to notice it," said
we'll known medical practitioner to me
today, you have no idea of tho in
crease of nervous diseases during tho
past year Even if you have given the
matter some attention you can form no
correct notion unless you are physi-
clan. Of course / do not mean to say
that as nation wo are breaking down
nervOusly because of the stringency that
has been with us since the early part
OF 1898, but do say unqualifcdly that
1T has led to notable addition to the
numbers of those who suffer from neu-
rasthenia and mclancho1ia.
These" no went on, faro tho names
it has been agreed to give to the two
forms of nervous disorder that arc most
likely to follow on the heels of periods
of financial worry, though, of course,
they may both be induced by other
causes.
''The first named is nothing moro or
less than nervous weakness, and tho
symptoms are sleeplessness, bodily IN
rest and the like. Far more serious is
melancholia, The patient who is suf-
fering from this form of nervous weak
ness may properly be considered insane,
though not necessarily incurably so.
Many persons enormously suppose that
mclancholia IS simply an aggravation
of that simple form of mental depres-
sion called the blues. The sufferer from
melancholia generally believes that
there is a conspiracy in existence for
the purpose of effecting his bodily or
business injury. A very common delu-
sion on the part of the melancholia pa
tient is to the effect that poisoning is
contemplated, and another is an uncon-
qucrable fear of being robbed
Such sufferers, though usually peace
ably inclined, are extremely dangerous
and should be watched by their friends
with the greatest care lest they do harm
to themselves or others. In many cases
i'll which there is an outbreak it is sim
ply from fear and imaginary self de-
Tense, but tho fact that the patient is
likely to do harm from these causes
does not make him less dangerous. At
first blush you may not see why fear
should induce self destruction, vet
have no doubt that many suicides of
persons suffering from melancholia have
been because of apprehension OH the
part OF the patient that if he did not
make way with himself some enemy
would take his life. 1t is because of
this tendency that l recommend that
persons suffering from melancholia be
sent to asylums or retreats for the in
rafhn1. thn,, hot 10, 4
homo by the regular family doctor, par
ticularly as they are quito us apt to sus-
pect some near and dear friend as any
one'else, and also because ut times they
believe that harm is threatened to a
friend, and III their insanity may be
moved to murder tho friend to prevent
his being done an injury by an enemy.
III its earlier stages melancholia
does not differ greatly i'll outward symp-
toms from neurasthenia, and patient
and careful diagnostication is required
to distinguish them. The melancholia
patient is far more likely to be forgetful
than the one that is simply suffering
| from nervous weakness, not so much
| perhaps because of actual weakening of
the memory as because he has lost the
which is necessary to firmly fix upon
the brain the records of passing events.
81 do not believe" he continued,
Notwithstanding what have said, that
nervous disorders arc increasing among
Americans or that the American life
tends to an increase Of insanity. This
view is borne out by the fact that at one
OF the largest retreats for the insane in
this country only 24 per cent of the
cases received arc of American birth, 7G
being persons born abroad. 1t is also
true that of the "a per cent of Amcri
can born insane very considerable pro
portion arc of foreign descent. Amcri-
CANS are every year learning to live more
in accordance with natures laws and
the canons of good sense, and in time
l believe we shall be able to show a
smaller percentage of the mentally weak
and unbalanced than any other people -
M. I. DEXTER
GEORGE PARSONS LATHROP.