The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-10
NERVOUS DISEASES.
A Physieian's View Of the Rush aud WORRY
Incident to Modern Life.
Especial Correspondence.I

Especial Correspondence.l
PITTsRURG. July 5.-FUnless you
have taken pains to notice it. - said a
we'll known medical practitioner to me
today, t'you have no idea Of the in
crease of nervous diseases during the
past year. Even il you have given the
matter some attention you can form no
correct notion unless You are a physi-
cian- OF course / do not mean to say
that as a nation we are breaking down
nervously because of the stringency that
has been with Us since the early part
of 1898, but do say unqualihedIy that
it has led TO a notable addition to the
numbers Of those who suffer from neu-
rasthenia and melancholia-
HThese. he went on, are the names
it has been agreed to give to the two
forms of nervous disorder that are most
likely to follow on the heels of periods
Of financial worry, though, of course,
they may both be induced by other
causes
1.-THE first named is nothing more or
less than nervous weakness, and the
symptoms are sleeplessness, bodily un-
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
melancholia 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-
querable 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. Ia many cases
in which there is an outbreak it is sim
ply from fear and imaginary self de-
Tense, but the 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, yet /
have no doubt that many suicides of
persons suffering from melancholia have
been because of apprehension on the
part of the patient that if he did not
make way with himself some enemy
would take his life. It is because of
this tendency that I recommend that
persons suffering from melanchOlia be
sent to asylums or retreats for the in
sane rather than that they be treated at
home by the regular family doctor, par
ticularly as they are quite as apt to sus-
pect some near and dear friend as any
one else, and also because at times they
believe that harm is threatened to a
friend, and in their insanity may be
moved to murder the friend to prevent
his being done an injury by an enemy.
Tn cf-o
does not differ greatly in 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
power of that mental concentration
which IS necessary to firmly fix upon
the brain the records Of passing events.
II do not believe he continued,
Notwithstanding what have said, that
nervous disorders are 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 "a per cent Of the
cases received are of American birth, 76
being persons born abroad 1t is also
true that Of the "A per cent of Ameri- i
can born insane very considerable pro- I
portion are of foreign descent Ameri- I
cans are every year learning to live more T
in accordance with natures laws and I
the canons Of good sense. and in time
! believe we shall be able to show a
smaller percentage of the mentally weak
and unbalanced than any other people. "
M J. DEXTER