The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-28


81 the brain centres and stimulating
tnelr growth, and in fragile. siclIly or
dly-nourished children induce brain
exhaustion and organic disease. There
Is great increase in habitual head
aches, which I attribute to the ex-
hausting effects OF excessive and ILL
directed brain work in our modern
schools. There are serious dangers
lurking in our present teaching
night terrors, somnambulism, epilepsy,
hydrocephalus, Authorizations and
other troubles to educational pressure
unWlsely applied to delicate children.
The great trouble is to make persons
understand that bRain-tissue degenera-
tlons and mental diseases may be
separated by long intervals of time
from the too-premature and intense
stimulation of the brain, which cause
these nervous diseases. Hydrocephalus
however, is a nervous disease which
shows at once from over-stimulation of
brain in the young, and of late years
the increase in deaths from this dis
ease has not been among infants, but
among children and young people fro4
D to 20 years of age, in the educational
period of life. This Is a very signifi-
cant fact. More remotely, as a cause
of oVer-stimulating the brain by edu-
cation, we meet with the preponder-
ance of nervous diseases in the refined
and educated classes.
II, by premature and stimulating
processes of education we force an
elaboration of cerebral structure, has
tening the functional activity of the
brain, with no due regard to the law
Of evoluttonal precedence-which ma
ture observes in her elaboration of the
brain in infancy, childhood and adult
age, respectively-we upset the whole
equilibrium Of tn brain and serious
nervous disease will necessarily follow.
Growth must precede function; and if,
While the child is so young or delicate
that functional activity is still feeble,
we apply undue exercise or stimula-
tion. the brain will never be brought
to the hig' est development Of which it
is capable. The cerebral centres if
never properly exercisedS<1ever develop
correctly; but If we over-strain or
over exercise the brain centres in their
nascent period, we dwarf and weaken
them, disturbing the balance of mind
by seriously interfering with the
natural sequence Of the evolution of
the brain centres. The functional
activity of the brain is established at
different epochs and perfected at diff
ferent rates. BY cautious stimulation
development. BY undue haste we ruin
its functional activity forever The
whole future complexion of mental
life Is In great part determined by
the Impressions made on the sensory
centres Of the brain when they are I'M
dergoing development. We must aim
in our system of education at a har-
monious development of body, brain
and mind alike and we shall then at
q in l., II
Now, how are we to prevent la
grippe and the host of preventable
nervous diseases?
Principally, we must resist the in
roads of nervous and mental disease
by due attention to the regulation Of
the emotional elements, by disciplin-
ing the natural forces of character and
by placing before ourselves high ideals.
We must remember to work wisely,
without haste as we'll as with proper
rest in our different vocations of life.
Sleep is essential to mental health, as
during sleep our brain cells derive
their nutritive renovation almost en-
tirely and brain workers need much
sleep. Meals, to be digested, must be
eaten slowly not hastily. for we are
rapidly becoming a nation Of dyspep-
tics from too rapid eating, and vertigo
and giddiness are often due to tenn
porary arrangement of the digestive
organs. We may enjoy constitutional
vigor and we'll balanced development
of parts, or by carelessness and neglect
we may suffer from a constitutional
debility and an irregular development
of parts Women should never touch
coffee at tboir meals. for 1t makes
their tempeTs irritable and their com
plexions muddy. Cocoa or chocolate
should be their drink, and there is
preparation of il on the medical mar
ket called Phillips Digestive Cocoa"
which 1 approve of because 1t is pre-
pared physiologically just as "RusselPs
Emulsion" is prepared physiologically
and scientifically. ] am not advertis-
ing anybody's goods, but when / ap-
prove of thing l see no reason why
/ should not say so, critics to the con-
trary, Notwithstanding. At this season
of the year. when la grippe is the
nervous disease to be dreaded, and It
Is a nervous disease, with its own
bacillus attacking the mucus mem
brane of the whole respiratory tract
the most deicately organized people,
nervously, and those netvouslv-tired
being the most susceptible to it. Every
body Is anxiouslS inquirlng, how can
we avoid it? What shall we do? Well,
there is lot you can do. First. avoid
taking cold. Keep your feet dry and
warm. Wear silk or wool next to the
skin over the entire body. Take a cold
or cool sponge bath every morning
with hard. dry rub with a Turkish
towel. Avoid late hours; avoid stimuli
ants and narcotics except when pre-
scribed as a medicine. If you feel you
are run down, take some one of the
many good emulsions OF cod liver oil
new are rendered tasteless -RusselPs.
Wampole's. Waterbury's, Phillips,
'Parke Davis and several other good
makes; but get and take some good
preparation, and there is nothing that
viii invigorate you so surely Why?
Because the nerve cells are made I'D
Of lecthin, which is a phosphorized
fat, and they require to be fed. and a
good emulsion of cod liver oil is the
best nerve food. Maltine and the by
pophOsphites are algo very good Don't
worry. 1t won't hurt you if you trust
in the Lord little bit Mental anx-
lety. by producing sleeplessness and
unrefreshing sleep, quickly disturbs
the normal balance of the nervous
system and deranges its functions
Appetite is lost digestion is impaired
and the patient complains Of pain, full
ness and 1atulence after eating. A lot
of people suffer in this way and are
so predispOsed to taking cold and Ia
grippe easily, and lot of my patients
are taking successfully 'Lacto- Peptine
Elixir" to perfect their digestion. The
stomach must be kept right or the
whole machinery stops. Such people
become emaCiated and pale and feeble.
If they would avoid the first cause
mental 2nxiety-they would not suffer
You cannot accomplish any more by
worrying about II. Do your level best
and then have faith. Finally. | think
the average American needs more
amusement, relaxation and rest. Do
not carry your business home with YOU.
Go to the theatre, opera or concert and
let business cares and anxieties slide
off for awhile Give yourself a fair