New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-05
INSANITY NOT A DISEASE.
DIR. ELIZABETH BALLENTINE A SPECIAL
IST ON NERVOUS DISORDERS.
HOUSEHOLD SCIENCE ABLE TO PREVENT MANY
LISA GREAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

Elisa GREAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
MENTAL AND MORAL AFFECTIONS.
The Household Economic Club OF Rochester was
entertained at Its last meeting by lecture on
Insanity" by DR.. Elizabeth Ballentine, who is a
specialist on nervous disorders and regarded the
subject In hand as one TO which household science
could be made readily applicable
Insanity" said DR.. Balentine, "Generally speak
ing. is not disease but II is form OF disease.
A person may be suffering from a slight mental
difficulty, and. by allowing impressions be
aggerated the arrangement may become worse.
"Guiteau and Prendergast belonged 10 a class OF
cranks who are very dangerous elements in society.
Another class is composed OF those who look upon
everything from n grand point OF view. and their
friends do not find It out until some gigantic and
foolish business venture brings the fact prominently
to attention. Again this class OF persons frequently
engage In notorious scandal. and IT Is a common
thing for the children 10 inherit strong char
acteristics OF their unfortunate parents.
why Is 1t that people have natural tendency
TO go back several times to try the door. although
they know perfectly we'll that It has been securely
bolted? Such fears may. and frequently do, lead
to dangerous nervous difficulties. and the most
efficient way In which TO overcome them is to
frain from practising just what It IS hard to keep
from doing.
MENTAL DISORDERS.
There are no apparent differences between men
tai and nervous disorders. Occasionally there oc-
certain abnormal bodily Developments that
clearly point to and are usually accompanied by
disorders OF the mind. Slight force expended In
movement frequently indicates weakness OF the
mental faculties. Lack OF concentration. the so
called tired feeling and the innumerable Ills to be
summed mp under the name OF nervous disorders
warnings that should not be disregarded. Self
difficulties and It frequently becomes necessary for
a person TO develop sef-w Special care should
be taken with children in this particular. young
babe should sleep twenty-three hours ont OF twen.
ty-four, and child should have AL ne sleep u
naturally wishes TO take. The body develops rapid
" during youth. So does the mind and II the
young mental organization once goes wrong IL Is Il
very difficult and usually Impossible matter 10 get
II back Into its proper place. Parents frequently
put their children At irksome tasks when they
should be engaged at something pleasant During
moral nature IL more desirable and important than
the intellectual and the average youth VIII not IN
dulge in ovcrstudy unless compelled TO-
INSANITY STATISTICS
"Childrrn and young men and women should have
more OF religious exercise and less Of the gilded
stream OF society The association OF person
who inherits tendencies toward insanity with "A
person who Is insane frequently causes the first to
suffer an attack OF the malady. on the whole a
nerson should have little do with insane people
as possiblo Tho law OF hcredity always holds good
and there rule IN the entire universe OF nature
which can be more surrey depenHcn u,', r,i ri
those acquired. In all cases or insanity STATISTICS
20 10 show that the predisposing Gauss" ~ hcr"di,
tary. In a great measure character is determined
by environments. and II Is equally true That ones
environments have same sam" enect upon the zen
denc,es OF n person toward insanity, child must
nav. healthftl physical basis for intellectual and
physical growth Rational "ducatlon prevents, m
sanity and tends to improve the diseased inih no.
parents should allow the natural tendencies OF the
ma IN take their own course without attempting
10 mould them into any particular direction.