The age-herald., 1897-09-19
THE NERVE CELLS.
The Physiology of Mental and Emotional Activity
 and Nervous Exhaustion.

Many people who are not especially scientific in their habits and tastes, but are fairly acute observers. realize that a close relation exists between the condi- tion of one's nerves and the quantity and quality of work he can do. Care ful investg of the matter by ex- perts not only confirms the fact and partially explains why such should be the case. but affords useful hints both to parents and teachers in the manage ment of children. and to adults in secur- ing the best results from their own ac- tlvities in life.
 In discussion of the influences that often control the formation of charac- ter, in The Popular Science Monthly for Septebmer, Prof. M. V. Shea examines the physical effects of fatigue on that part of the animal organization known as the nerve cell. This cell is a resar- voir of energy. It is a sort of storage battery of vitality. A trifing stimulus comes to 1t from without, along one of the nerve fibers, exciting thought, feel ing or movement. Any experience of this sort involves a discharge, as of electricity, along another set of fila ments, and uses up some of the re- serve. Under the microscope a nerve cell Is found to consist of an outer pulpy shell and a central nucleus. It is impractlcable to examine human nerve cells; but elaborate experime nts on frogs show that the nucleus of their nerve cells shrink to one-half their nat ural size after prolonged stimula tion. It is a fair inference that a similar change results from prolonged mental effort or excessive emotion in man. Here, then, is the material or physical side of what we sometimes call nervous exhaustion.
 More important though perhaps less novel, are the changes in mental vigor keenness of perception, and even in what might be considered moral quail ties, which are detected after a certain amount of brain work Elaborate tests | with shool children a distinct fall | ing off in the ability to receive and | retain impressions, to distinguish be- | tween diagrams almost alike but not | altogether so. to notice trifiing differ ences in color, and so on. With little folk, as well as big ones, irritability of temper, lack of self-control and various forms of viciousness often follow in ad- dition to these other results; both, at first, being only temporary manifesto tions, but likely to lead to chronic stu pidity and ugliness. Of course, there are great natural differences between people dn their powers of endurance: but allowing for this, the same general effects are produced by overtaxing ones nervous energy.
 Professor Shea points out some of the agencies in the home and school which promote brain fatigue, intellectual slug gishnesS and emotional arrangement Lack of nutrition is one of these The celebral sells, in order to remain fin a healthy and normal state, must absorb from tine blood certain amount of nu- trimept daily. But they require a par tIcular kind of mater;al-not that which is most favorable to the production of bone, or of fat, but albumen, also known as protein. One-quarter of the white matter of the brain and one-half of the gray ma ter consists of this substance. Of the various foods most commonly eaten in this country, beef is especially rich in it. Not less than 29.7 per cent of a beefsteak Is protein; salt codfish contains 27.6 per cent, beans 222, chicken 19.s, rolled oats and fresh fish each 16 graham flour IA, wheat flour 12, mos; pies and buildings about 6 or T, and vegeta- bles lon an average) not over 11a.
 In several cases which have been noted an analysis of a child's blood has shown a deficiency OF nerve-building ele- ments. A change of diet has been pre- scrfbed, and has been followed by ma rl<- ed improvement in mental activity, keen ness and endurance( as well as by am3a- bility Stunted intellects and lack of self-conlrol may thus be traced, in in- stances, to lack of proper food.
 Intense excitement of any kind also taxes the nervous energy. Teasing or anything which proyoSes an; agon.sm is exhaustlng, and should be scrupulously avoided in dealing with delicate children Over-stimulati ton to effort in study, speaking pieces or other activities that demand either thought or feeling, are ob- jected to by Professor Shea, who says, in closing:
 ''Precocity is usually succeeded by mediocrity, if by no.hing worse. It is significant that those races that are most precocious are ultimately the least intelligent and progressive, more neaaay resembling the lower orders of animal life. where the young possess at birth nearly all the powers they ever attain, and so are not educable to any great degree. IT. is 10 be feared that over stimulation in numerous ways of chil- dren In American homes and schools leads to early cessation of, and hence TO an ultimately inferior, physical and men, tai development"
 
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