The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-05

1t might be compared to a machine in
which some bearing is faulty; a cog has
lost a tooth or has been poorly cut; the
only remedy. in the machine, is to re-
place the defective part with a new one,
but unfortunately we cannot supply new
Kidneys or liVers Ito the human body so
that those who have defective organs
must get along as well as they can,
nature aiding, in way by strange COM
pensatory functions. assumed by other
organs, which thus do double duty and
are taxed beyond their endurance. In
herited debility, like other diseases ac-
CURED from the parents, may be greater
than in the parents, especially If no pre-
cautions are taken to better their con,
dition, but on the other hand the de-
bility may be less. In certain cases, for
example, a weakly child has no chance
Of life on account Of the intensity OF the
debility and the poor circumstances In
which 1t Is placed Proper and nourish-
ing food is not obtainable and the en-
vironment Is such that a well man would
become sick Such is the lot of the
poor and for that reason the infant NOR
tally in the lower classes is great. 1t Is
like making bricks without straw: the
child does not have nourishing food in
sufficient quantity for building the bodily
and mental structure
In acquired debility there is some ele-
mcnt that lowers vitality, but it may be
one over which there is no possible con-
troll oW ing to the social condition OF the
person. insufficient nourishment IS one
If these; deprivation Of sunlight and de-
fciency of fresh air and exercise. as well
as proper amount Of stimulation Of
mind are others. Again. a damp climate
either too warm or too cold. poisons daily
absorbed in the course Of some employ,
ment or accidentally, but continuously
taken into the system and more subtle,
but none the less powerful, depressing
passions or emotions such as anxiety
or fear may cause debility.
Another type of debility results directly
from influences Of an exhausting char
acter such as habitual hemorrhags or
discharge Of some chronic sore, also vol
untary excuses of any kind which waste
or draw upon the system excessively
The sudden withdrawal of any sudden
accustomed eA element or stimulation
may cause debility CT an alarming and
even fatal character. Such is the case
with the habitual opium eater or drunk
ard who cannot be deprived at once OF
his accustomed stimulus without danger
to himself and even the man who In,
debiluated by sudden cessation in theiI
use although the effect may not be mani,
tested for weeks or even months IN
such cases the alcohol Is n medicine so
to speak. which has kept up the normal
action OF the functions ard is necessary
to health extreme debility and weakness
following any unadvised adoption of
strict tcetotalism. II matters not what
the long accustomed stimulant may be.
H..
entary life for example. may cause
marked debility owing to the lack Of
fresh air and exercise; the brain worker
nay suffer collapse # he cease mental
eXertion and there is no more potent
cause of debility and even insanity than
retiring from business which leaves the
man without employment and the slim
ulus Of his accustomed work and his
longtime associates.
In children improper food is the most
common cause Of debility. but there Is
custom which cannot be too severely
condemned by which many children are
seriously injured for life: It is the Gus
tom OF putting them to sleep with aged
persons. for in some mysterious way the
weaker person always draws bodily and
nervous vitality from the stronger, thus
draining away the life store. In fact,
the home surroundings may cause de-
bility In susceptible persons from daily
social contact, especially If the person
has irritable nerves which are Jared
into discord by the daily unfavorable
friction Of the household and its petty
cares
Congenital debility may be defined as
deficiency of the normal power to per-
form the functions and duties of life in
normal manner; acquired debility Is a
falling off from the usual power OF the
individual to perform those exertions,
whether OF duty or pleasure In which
he has habitually engaged and which.
Judging from the constitution, mode OF