The herald., 1896-04-26
EURAS TIL ENIk.

Wien al unfortunate woman in a foreign
land comes down with what she decides Is
nervous prostrat.on the physician she calia
IL WILL likely regard her with a good deal of
amused contempt. He is apt as not to cei!
It a plain case Of the American disease"
enough. Flainly he does not believe
in nervous prost-ati0n, while his Amer
icao fellow professional gives IL the
nsme OF neurastneni2, defines Il as nerve
exhaustion and admits it IS peculiar to the
natives of cur States.
"Neurasthenia," said a wellknown nerve
specialist, lis hardly distinct disease; doc
tors are inclined to regard it as a condition
OF the body that comes about gradually
Gnd is caused mainly by the cruel eXis-
ercies of our American civilization. We arc
even coming to believe it an hereditary
weakness, and women ere particularly prone
to it's induences through their more delicate
nervous organizations, their ra.her uncon-
trolled inns sinations.
1.-The New England and Middle States.
he continued. show a preponderance Of
cases. 1t has also been found that Ameri-
can women between tho egas OF IS aid 80,
sld between 40 and so, ere neuraethenia' 9
naost willing subjects. Before is and after
80 one rarely finds a genuine example OF
What The foreign man Of medicine is apt 70
think mere American vagary.'
y x IL
Tue workings n case Of nervous pros
tratlcn are many What are they? We'll.
in what we call neurasthenis, where hypo-
cEondris plays no part, the first noticeable
symptom seems always TO be gradual
decrease Of general riger, followed By an
unpleasant moody lengucr, with an incliu-
alton TO excessive anxiety and fretful
worry ovcs even tho niuutest trhes
Where the mental depression is marked
and stupid morbid fears trouble the BRAIN
- L. fAvt 10
sipats her melancholy by increasing her
diversions. The not over-strong, highly
strune society girl merely redcub]es her
fashionable duties to get rid of her blues,
aid the brain WORKER finds her quickest re-
lief in Tedoubled exertions over her duties.
Al ATst the added excrtion has mos:
s.imulatin effect, but this is merely burr
Ing the candle in three places instead of
two. and presently the spirits alternate be-
tween most delightful periods OF exhlara-
ton and painful shocks oe hysterical tears.
There are lengthening attacks OF sulky
gloom when ones faults are rlagnifed into
crimes and the temper grows imperioua
and sensitive.
These IT vtp e..eh ase seF. .aan Jr ibn.he4'n''in-
feminine nature. An ovortaxed housekeeper
scarcely stops to consider iittle loss in
appetite and flesh troublesome attacks Of
dyspepeia. the recurrence of slight
i euralgic headache and desire. when no
special deman are made on her time. to
cit yawning ever the FIRE. warming her cold
hands and feet. Added 10 these Indications
insomnia follows with searfuBy bad dreams,
disturbing ylic n"'ef sna.ches CO sleep.
1t Is not. Sow-ver. until sharp attack
Of vertigo or shocking sort ct mental in
ala-ins the ratlens sha. the
physician is consulted sad tho collapse
comes.
Where Il Is rc,~ible the cure IN sari-
.Ar1um is advccctet. Tor there is genuine
case OF neurasthenis where 1t will require
a month OF Elk weeks to soothe and partially
restore .he distracted and depleted nsgve
force. In such cases the rest cure ac's
like magic. the ratent is treated AS though
che were recovering from an acute and ex-
ailment But the sanitarium is .
costly luxury. end where the nervous dis
order has not arrived ct a crisis the -est
cure at home can be uee1 With grea. benefs.
There room should be given the patient
which size has never occupied before. or
that is sunny and quiet, aad where she may
lie put comfortably to bed. The attendant
sboald be trained nurse, who ucders enda
d adjuscing light and ventilation, giving slight
ailments of massage and electricity, rub
bing the body with crime and alcohol. ad-
ministerlng TIA food properly and ward.ng
off inttTders.
A few weti,s in such exclusion has a good
effect. bu. tha proper treatment % rervcus
.;rostratioc is the timely intervention that