The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-21

beyond all proportion Win the force re-
quired, and the whole mind and body Is
weary The person does not know what the
matter is with himself, nor is the doctor
any wiser. for there is no real disease of
any organ. but a general disturbance of
coordination or working together of ALL
The chief characteristics of nervous
haustion Is fatigue, or rather absolute
weariness-not the fatigue from a hard
days work. which disappears with good
nights rest. but the all-gone feeling that
comes from constant excessive mental
eTtl0n or worry, that brings with ii Sleep
lessness. and which is not relieved by sleep
from which the victim awakens feeling
more tired than before. Strange TO say.
the person thus tired I'm the morning grows
less so during the day. and at night he
apparently becomes more active. although
his acquired strength is fictitious and does
not actually exist as strength. but more as
The Pickering flashes of waning fire.
Broadly stated. it may be said that nervous
exhaustion never comes from overwork, but
from underrest but overworry is a most
important factor. The farmer and woods
man, who spend much of their lives out of
doors, who work while il is day and rest
when the night cometh, seldom suffer from
nerves.; they are not irritable; they are
not startled by the rustic of a leaf; mental
emotions do not affect them; but the man
of business, with every nerve and sinew
strained in the busy marts of the city, is
mOmentarily wrecked by shadow Of dis
sster. and the slightest unusual occurrence
sets MS heart in a fiutter, causes him to
trembie like an aspen. and makes his face
hush or pale with the hue OF shame or fear.
add 10 the overstrain of body and mind
the sedentary habits of the man OF bust
ness and the woman of leisure; lack of ex-
ercise, efen the simple one OF walking;
hours OF rest turned into hours of toll or
Whirling pleasure and exhausting excess,
ana II is no wonder that the whole body
revolts and. like the weary camel, lies
down in the desert
The treatment is not so much one of
drugs as proper regime, and the first ele-
ment is 10 secure rest In mild cases ii is
not necessary to give up work; indeed, that
would be injurious. but it is necessary TO so
arrange the hours and time of work that
there may be frequent intervals of rest, or
at least change and exercise no matter
how light that may be- The man of bust
ness. for example. may spend an hour at
noon in game of billiards if he can find
no better relaxation, and during that time
he will forget his cares, the nerve tension
will relax. and he will return to his work
refreshed and invigorated Another man
will find relaxation from care in taking a
brisk walk, or if he is man of many tai
ents of mind and body, he will have learned
that when one task becomes irksome he
can take up another of different character,
and that he will thus obtain rest while he
still obtains results. A little personal de-
NAL of the excitement of late hours and all
the artificial stimulation that accompany
them is another important element in the
relief OF nervous fatigue but unfortunately
the exhaustion often involves the will pow
er 10 such an extent that the victim has not
the strength of will to deny himself these
artificial stimulants. in the enjoyment of
which il seems, for the time, that he is be-
ter. although they are followed by proper
tionate reaction and collapse. In such
cases the natural resort is TO sedative
Opiate drugs, such as morphine choral,
hyoscyamus or the milder bromides but
these are but bruised reeds to lean upon;
they temporarily deaGen the abnormal and
exasperating nervous irritability. but they
do so at the expense of the nervous tissue
itself, just one might smother fire with
blankets under which it would still smouI-
der and consume On the other hand. alco-
holic stimulants but add fuel to the fire,
and while they temporarily stimulate the
tagging functions of body and mind they
consume the little energy remaining; they
the cruel spurs that goad the weary
horse until he drops by the roadside spent
with exhaustion And speaking of horses.
If men would give half the attention to
their own bodies that they do to a good
horse they would suffer less from exhaus-
ton and other diseases. The horse, for ex-
ample, gets his oats regular as the clock,
and by the measure; he is carefully and
thoroughly rubbed down every day and
sponged and wiped dry, and the careful
driver takes care that he does not exceed
his allotted work in distance, speed or load.
To cure mild cases Of nervous exhaustion,
as well as to prevent it, regular and suffi-
cient exercise is necessary; plenty Of fresh
air. nourishing diet. with considerable ami
NAL food free bowels and a clean, normal
ly acting skin. Exercise taken in a gym
and away less efficacious than that which
ing or driving, or even saving wood for
that matter for in these the idea of exer-
else for exercise sake is removed by the &C
cessories of environment or occupation
Nourishng food should be chosen, milk be-
ing q most important element of the diet
in which should be included fat meats
especially mutton and chicken, fruit and
cereals Many obtain relief from shower
baths, but, on the other hand. many cannot
endure the shock. although they can per-
haps endure sponge bath in the morning
and al night with tepid water, followed
with a dash of colder water and a brisk
drying off with a coarse towel. which will
bring a glow to the skin and thus prove
that it has established good circula ton, at
least for a while.
If medicines thought advisable, cod
liver oil is one of the best it is both
tonic and recOnstructive. and one of the
first requisites is to build up the system so
that there may be energy to provide for
the maintenance OF the functions and ac-
lions of the body. Among other remedies |
one may choose from iron, strychnine
arsenic phosphates. quinine and the aka
line hypophosphites. with appropriate rem
edies for indigestion. constipation and the |