The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-09

persons In the world the victims OF this disease
most dread being shut up alone. They inva-
riably assert that they will inevitably 90 mad.
scream. smash tho furniture and Jump out of
the window. They never do. They arc uuiet
as the provcrbial lamb, and Ia a few days they
find solid enjoyment IN II. One Of tho reasons
why poor people arc not cured Of ncurasthcnin
easily II at all Is tho difficulty Ot p%sychical or
moral treatment. They EXPECT to be cured by
drugs. while as II matter OF fact drugs at the
very best can only mitigate the severity Of some
Of tho painful or distressing symptoms. II is
Improbable TO impose ISOLATION on most of the
patients who receive treatment at the disprn-
sarv. They ara not conscientious about taking
the few hours rest in scclusion every day that
tho doctor urges. However. isolation 10 not
always necessary.
The treatment depends on the individual.
but there are general remedial measures that
may be applied to most. though in different
degrees. These include agencies Of recon-
struction. such as diet. hydriatics, massage.
rest and exercise. changes Of surroundings
and Of climate. Water is used in many ways
and often. 1t IL one OF Weir Mitchell's schemes
to- seat the patient in a bathtub so that water
can be applied to the spinal column. First q
quart of hot water Is poured slowly on the neck
and allowed to run down. 1t il almost boiling
hot enough to bring an instant fiery r"dncss.
This is followed by u quart Of nearly icc-"old
water. The applications ar" alternated until
twenty quarts OF each have been used, In severe
cases. Then comes Il thorough massage and
In some instances II knrading OF the abdomen.
Often Il careful massage will give relief 10 the
most violent headache.
DR.. Collins makes "A good deal of use Of water
treatment. especially for slecplcssneSs. Spm"-
times he uses the cold wet pack. the prolonged
warm bath, the drip sheet andth w~ctcomprcss.
known az Neptunc's girdle. The prolonged
warm bath. from twenty to forty minutes. is at
a temperature of from 10 to 100 degrees. The
drip sheet is applied by throwing a linen sheet
which has been loosely wrunE out of water at
- degrees arounda patient who is standing in
a foottub Of comfortably hot water. and with a
Turkish W wrunG out OF iced water about
the head. Tho sheet is applied TO the whole
body by n few quick rubbiugs. Then it il re-
moved. the patient Is dried and subjected to "A
light massage. DR.. Collins points out that
treatment which may benefit one person may
be injurious to another and he considers medic
inal treatment as the least important. Flee
tricity. which til" French regard 50 favorably,
has not been found very useful by American
physicians. Sometimes it has the effect Of
stimulating the patients interest and imagina-
ton and inspires his confidence. which is Of
great benefit.
1t is clear that the practitioner who has not
made "A particular studyof the diseases of the
nervous system is not equal to the treatment
OF Il fully developed case OF nervous eNhaus-
ton, He is art to show his Impotence withthe
patient who imagin"s he has an organic dis
ease. and to underestimate tho seriousness Of
the condition. The patients who apply to the
general physician are commonly dragged first
for one thing and then for another, and at last
told that their disease is purely imaginary.
I . -, at zI,t lr Ia III tlYt 81 t.. -.
So much physical or mental work or overwork
that produces neuraSthenis as it is worry.
anxiety and depression, which entail slcepless-
ness and disordered digestion. There are per-
sons. too. who are born with u nervous system
deficient in the capacity to produce neural
energy or to supply the waste when there is
an abnormal tax on the nerve energy.
Nothing could be more timely il connection
with this matter than the Gospel Of Rclaxa-
ton - preached by William James. and based
on the Iange-Jamcs theory of the emotions.
H." places it in the power Of one Ia avoid the
chief cause Of nervous exhaustion. The per-
-ou who can shed trouble can prevent insomnia
and Observation-Disclosures ndthcrefore all exr"s-
sly" expenditure Of nerve force. Nrarly every
body can do this. The Don't Worry clubs that
have ragged for Il year or two have a very sound
scientific basis Tor their teachings. even
apart from the theory mentioned. That
W" worry beyond reason is easily shown.
Nobody ever finds a trial SO severe rs he
expects it to be-. II is the LanGr-Iamo4
theory that We suffer in mind because, we
put ourselves in the condition to simulate
IN" Unhappy emotion, and that our misery j.
more Tia" product Of our idea than OF the thing
about which We ar" wr"t"led. 1t is an eNig-
g"ratiOn. but it will serve to explain il. to say.
a. an enthusiast docs. that we are sorry he
cause we weep and are. afraid because we run
away. /, was affirmed by DoI-arte that if one
Stimulates the appearance uf sadness he will he
lad. We are told by arIors, that they lo-e them
selves in their parts; thai 10y putting them
selves in the frame Of mud and physical atti-
trdc of arhara"ter they feet what the character
j. supposed t. feel.
The doctrine 81 the Gospel Of Relaxation il
not to try to reason ourselves out Of un ANXIOUS
and Worrying state of mind. for that only keeps
the attention fixed on it. but to act As if we
wrr" not anxious hut cheerful or Kay. By
smiling and laughing anileingiuEa gay melody
we are bound to become cheerful or gay. This
is the principle ON which musical treatment OF
nervous disorders Is now applied in Paris. 1t
Ia not n modern thought only. Plato. who
'"Iart copyright un everything. rs Emerson
says. suggested a system 81 moral Therapeutics
IN which music should play a part.
1t is worthy Of note that the English do not
have nervous exhaustion. The aspiration ol
the cultivated EnGlishman is to r-prcSs his
emotions, He considers it very bad taste To-
show feeling. Tho result ie that he does not
CNperienccth the emotions Ofthc ready American.
Hy cultivating a look Of serenity he remains
serene.
AIRTNG TINE Ov the COISE.