The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-01
THE HISTORICAL WOMAN.
How She Can Be Cured of This Try
ing Ailment.

ing A1lment.
Philadelphia Times: Hysteria is
very insidious and almost entirely fem
mime ailment, and despite the fact that
the average girl leads more healthy
life-so far as freedom and exercise go
than did her mother and grandmother
in the days when they were girls, am
afraid that the tendency to hysteria is
decidedly increasing.
This may be due to the fact that the
age we live in has too much hurry and
hustle in it. The nervous system be-
comes overstrained and OverwrouSht-
With the development of the education
of woman the widening of her sphere
which now, by common consent, en-
braces not only social and domestic
duties. but those connected with ctti-
zenship and. commercials come the
increased demand upon her mental and
physical powers. The trouble with
most women is that, while full of en-
] ergy and enthusiasm. they overestinate
their powers of endurance. They go
on giving out, or spending, their en-
ergies with a prodigal hand, forgetting
| that it is necessary to keep reserve
in hand, and then they are surprised
when the sudden collapse and the nat
ural reaction sets in.
am convinced that in a large num-
Der of cases hysteria is caused by eX-
cessive and undue activity on the part
I of women; but one cannot at the same
time. lose sight of the fact that it fire.
| quently owes it's origin to an exactly
opposite cause Nothing is more like
! ly to encourage an hysterical tempera-
ment than a too luxurious, idle and
aimless life. Hysteria is, however,
! sometimes entirely caused by the ply
[ steal weaknesses peculiar to women,
and under such circumstances requires
[ II 1GsrrT
/ The symptoms of hysteria vary with
! the form in which it manifests itself,
/ but there are nearly always present
| extreme nervousness, constituencies, 1r-
ritability and constant emotional ebul-
( litions. Attacks OF hysteria commence
often with a feeling of faintness and
1 distress at the pit of the stomach, q
sense of choking or suffocation. as if
a ball were continually rising in the
throat and an uncomfortable desire to
laugh and cry alternately
: of course. the first thing to do when
J considering the mode of treatment is
! to ascertain, if possible. not only the
! exciting. but the fundamental, cause of
I the trouble.
Young girls between the ages of 10
and q are very liable to hysteric at
] tacks. This is an exceedingly import
ant time Of life. and the general health
I should be especially cared for. If a
/ girls COMPANIONS and environment are
| unwholesOne, and she is allowed to
read morbid, sensational literature at
this period. she is likely to develop
| suDer-emOtional and hysterical symp-
toms at the expense of her physical
and mental health. Bright, cheerful
society, an occasional change of air
and scene. plenty of plain but thor
oughly nutritious food, cold or tepid
morning baths. and daily exercise in
the form of walking, riding, bicycling,
etc. will greatly aid in overcoming
hysteria. Stimulants should be avoided
unless anaemia is present. when an
exception may be made. in the shape
of a couple of glasses of good claret or
Burgundy daily.
When fit of hysteria is approaching.
it may often be averted by taking
eight or ten grains of valerian powder
in a little water. and going out for a
brisk walk in the open air.
During violent hysteria it is best not
to hover about the patient expressing
sympathy, but to adopt such simple
measures of affording relief as opening
the window to allow fresh air to enter
the apartment, bathing the face with
cold water, and applying sal volatile
or smelling salts to the nOstrils. If the
corsets are tight, they should be lOos-
ened. A quinine and iron tonic, to be
taken twice day, is nearly always
advisable: occasionally a tonic con-
tanning tincture of nuX vOmica is use
full. but internal treatment depends
greatly upon the nature of the case and
the constitution of the patient. and is
the province of medical man.