The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-15
THE ROCKING CHAIR HABIT.
One Cause of Nervous Prostitution Among
Women, Says q Doctor.


Women, Says Doctor.
"You must give me something 10 help me- doc
tor you really must" said the woman patient
why, I'm total wreck can't sit still min
ute. I'm on the verge OF prostitution"
She swayed listlessly back and forth In the
leather chair she spoke, and looked at the doc
tor helplessy. He nodded gravely.
ayes, see" he said "Your nerves are In q
terrible condition, and no mistake 1 wonder.
he added, after moments reflection. what por-
ton Of tho day you spend in swaying backward
and forward as you arc doing nowg
The rhythmical motion Of tho woman's body
ceased and she stared at him In surprise
why, my land!" abe calculated. What
question: don't do this any Of the time al home
I don't have TO- We have rocking chaios there"
The latter statement was made somewhat spite
fully. but IL did not Tease the doctor.
$50 supposed" he said, coolly, "and I've no
doubt that you have often felt like denouncing
doctors soundly for not having goodly supply
of them In their offices for the accommodation OF
nervous patents"
The woman started up the pcndulum-liko mo-
ton again. WELL" she returned. 4 must say 1t
would be good deal moro comfortable than hav-
ing TO sit In one Of these straight uncomfortable
things"
Whether the doctor took offence at her uncom-
whether he had been whctting himself up TO the
point where he could give her sharp, professional
talk, IL would be impossible 10 say. but certain IL
is his lecture broke loose then with vehemence
Now see here" he said Il have scores of
women patients Just like you. They como In hero
and tell me all about how their nerves arc frazzled
into strings, and they can't sit down, and they
can't stand up. and they can't walk, nor eat nor
sleep nor do this. that or the other thing oh.
they're In a terrible condition. We'll, that's right
They are In bad fx. And so you want me 70
cure you? Well. I'm willing, but you've got 10 do
your part You cannot very we'll remove these de-
plorable defects without roofing out the cause, and
you can't dig out the cause without throwing away
rocking chairs. oh. yes mean IT, throw away
the rocking chairs. They send more women to the
grave and the insane asylum each year than all
the sewing machines in the United States They
are at the bottom OF moro than half this nervous
trouble you women are always complaining about,
and II had my way fully two-thrds OF the rockers
that now clutter up houses would be split into
kindling wood. and threefourths of the factories
that arc turning them out by the hundred
would DO shut down People who have never
given the matter thought have no idea how much
energy is wasted in keeping a rocking chair on the
60 The pretty. graceful things move very easily,
| admit being the best substitutes for perpetual
mouon YET inVencu, out 1Of oil tndt uey cav UP
vast amount of strength in the course OF q day.
that might well be turned 10 more useful and less
harmful ends. Why, l pity the person who suffers
from the rocking chair drunk as much as do tho
topper who burns his gullet out with
The sufferer from nervous prostitution suddenly
found her voice at this point
"Oh, doctor" she protested. don't put IL that
way Don't say we get-get drunk. 1t sounds
disgraceful."
Does it%' said the doctor calmly. well. un-
fortunately always did believe In calling things
by their right names. and that's what II really
amounts 10. l can tell people who are addicted
to the rocking chair habit the minute clap eyes
them. and honestly think they are the most
pitable objects find in a days journey. They
are ever restless and fidgety and i'll at ease and
when deprived of the chair, their distress is mani
fest They simply don't know what to do with
themselves Take you yourself now, for in
stance You can't sit there for five minutes with
out getting up the rocking chair motion Now.
! am in earnest about this II you want " get
well you must give up your rocking chair Just
as drunkard gives up his whiskey. II you do
that you'll come out all right A rocking chair
may be restful and helpful up TO certain point,
but il taken to excess ii Is bound to play hob with
the nerves sooner or later