The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-02-08
INHIBITORY POWER.
n IS THAT NERVE FORCE WHICH REG
ULATeS MUSCULAR ACTION.
DIR. Grace Murray Says That the Twitch-
ing of Their Faces Shows That Women
Are Losing This Force-Dr. Cyrus Edison
Has . Somewhat Different Idea.

Ing or Their Faces Shows That Women
Are Losing This Force-Dr. Cyrus Edison
Has Somewhat Different Idea.
American women have always been dis
tsnguished for vivacity of manner rather
than calm repose, and the opinion prevails
among thoughtful people, and more par
ticularly physicians, that of late years this
national vivacity Is degenerating into hys-
terra and other symptoms of nerve exhaus-
ton.
Many and curious are the evidences of
depleted nerve force daily manifested on
the cars and in shops by women. Perhaps
strangest OF all Is the trick women have
of twisting and comforting their mouths,
| especially at or before mealtime, when
there is least vitality in the system
This habit is n marked one among wom-
en-, old and young, rich or poor, cultured
or ignorant, and is increasing to such an
extent that 1t is getting to be the exception
| to SEQ women on the l. or surface lines
who, If they arc not talking, are not either
biting their lips, drawing in the corners
OF their mouths or twitching the muscles
of the chin, until, on the whole, they re-
semble company of facial contortionists.
The question naturally arises, What does
IL all meany What can possibly prompt
women To misplace SO much good Delsarte
exercise, mar their beauty and prepare
themselves for large and early crop of
wrinkleSy Questions surely to be referred
to the medical mind
DIR. Cyrus W. Edison, when questioned
on the subject, said:
Il believe this peculiar habit of the end
or the century woman to be largely the re-
suit of the initiative powers of the human
mind. We are all mimics. 1t is a COM
mon occurrence for the attendants upon
insane to become insane from the power
ful effect OF one mind upon another. Why.
st. Vitus' dance was at one time pro.
nounced by the doctors to be contagious
because in an earlier century one poor girl |
In the south of France afflicted |
with this nerve disease and in a very short |
time the entire province was jerking and |
twisting In close imitation of the original |
case.''
Dr. Grace Peckham Murray, who is a
thoughtfuI, keen observer in all matters
Oh up to date interest, said in reply to va
rious questions on the subject:
You are asking me about matter of
decided interest. have noticed this nerve
weakness In both the men and women of
New YORK, but particularly in the women,
ust as L have noticed more women who
lnconsciously talk to themselves, and it
III means the same thing, loss of what
physicians call 'inhibitory power which
merely means loss of self control.
To understand this it il necessary To
Know something of the power of the mind
yer the body. You know, of course, that
mere must be two preliminary stages for
very act OF the human body-frst, the
Yfqrnal |
ression made upon the brain. Then
ONES the response of the body to the brain [
ignal. These three steps follow each I
ther as naturally and unconsciously as ,
wallowing does masticating or sleep the
losing of the eyes.
NOW, in the natural order of events |
no body responds instantly to any impress
ion made upon the BRAIN Inhibitory
over Is that nerve force which controls
he body and permits it only to respond
'isely to the brain telegraphy. For in 4
lance, natural, unrestrained action of a q
uman being would be to give utterance 7
, every idea so soon as the brain receives
nd formulates 1t, just as child or a saw
go prattles by the hour of every thought t
assing through the mind. Inhibtory ! r
over, or self control, Is that which en-
oles the older or more cultivated being to
strain muscular action except when de-
rable or necessary. j
And now for my point, Dr. Murray a
'ntinued earnestly. "This increasing :,
cial comforting SO noticeable nowadays =
dictates nothing more or less than the O
of this great force, self re- n
raint, thus permitting the body to re- n
ond to the mind to the fullest extent, as ! !,
the case OF women talking to them
Ives, or, In lesser degree, as In the
'rvous twitching of the mouth
"Inhibitory power Is naturally weakened L
hunger, fatigue or any form of nerve in
haustion. The fact that women are los =.
g rather than gaining this power of self =
anagement Is q matter of vital impor- 81
nee in connection with the new position a
ey are DESTROYS Of holding in the twen- a,
,th century civilization :.
Miss Grace Dodge, who has made spe- =, -
II study of feminine human nature, ex-
essed the opinion that the intense nerv- vi
sness among women of the present day,
d their lack of training in "quietness'' -
Is one great reason for the face twitching
prevalent at this end Of the century.
Let women learn to be moderate, she
ID, land to take quiet views on even i'm pr
rtant matters, and nervousness will or
ase and faces in repose will be the rule I
stead of the exception, as we find them
lay. 1t Is possible, IL one were to study IN
eply enough into the matter, that such II
lsons as morphine, alcohol and other =
mulants might come to the surface to
,ount or help account for the difficulty,
{ of this am not prepared to give a su.
rflcial opinion. New York journal. AM AM
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