Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-01-30
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NERTES or MODERN MEN,

NERFES or MODERN MEN.
st. Louis Globe Democrat
The managers of an Eastern railroad
report singular case of accident oc-
curing on their line, the engineer of
train running past Il danger signal
in plain view, seeing it clearly, and
yet being, us he himself expressed it,
so clustered" that he was unable to
act in time to prevent the collision
which followed When questioned by
the medical experts very shortly after
the accident, the man seemed to be in
Il condition of nervous tension so great
as to threaten serious consequences to
himself: and indeed, not long after
ward he was the victim of a nervous
collapse, from which, at latest adyices,
he had not entirely recovered. The
officials and medical authorities of the
road, in the light of the information
furnished by this case, expressed the
opinion that many accidents with mys-
ferrous and hitherto unexplained feat
ures, might possibly be due to causes
similar, If not identical with those in
this instance, momentary suspension,
perhaps paralysis of nervous energy,
and consequent inability to act with
the promptness demanded by the occa-
sion,
1t is quite likely the conclusion is
correct. Every one knows the weakly.
nervous person who, when confronted
BY circumstances which require instant
action is utterly unable to meet the
emergency and, even with the best in
tentions, is absolutely incompetent to
the physical exertion demanded by the
occasion Such people are cursed with
what they call "weak nerves. they
arS startled at sudden or unexpected
sounds; they become easily fatigued
by unusual eXertion and quickly
wearied at a sedentary occupation and
are totally untitled for any calling in
which sudden draft is likely to be
made on muscular mental or nervous
force. They often become indeed the
victims OF their nerves and pass by
easy stages from what is called ner-
vousness TO graver maladics involving
the brain and nervous system. Fortu-
nately for themselves, however, only
a comparatively small number of cases
does tile intirmity proceed thus far.
Some times by change of surround
ings or habits they return to a normal
state of health; not infrequcntly
throughout life they remain weak in a
semi-eXhausted condition, u misery to
themselves and source of annoyance
and irritation to all with whom they
come in contact.
Even TO the strong, however, as to
the engineer already mentioned, there
sometime come moments when the ner-
yous system seems utterly to fail in the
m rf f,f ft, L..
fact may perhaps account not only for
railroad accidents, but also for Incl
dents ineXplicable at the time to every
beholder. At the battle Of Balaklava
young lieutenant in British regi-
the moment when the charge was
ordered. He refused to advance and
threw himself upon the ground in a
paroxysm of fright. The occurrence
was instantly reported to the colonel,
TO kick him up. " The unfortunate
form and sent on board q man of-war
to await court-martial. He would
have been shot had there been any
danger of the spread of such an ex-
ample, but as there was none, he
the camp and sent home in disgrace
The incident blighted his life, for on
his return to England he was ostracised
by all his former associates. When
he knocked at the door OF his fathers
home his mother sent him word that
she had no son. His father, more
merciful, granted him a small allow
ance, with the bitter message that he
s., e
he would go somewhere and quietly
hang himself like dog. He took his
fathers money, but not the advice,
though eventually his death was that
of Il suicide from drink
This man was not by nature a
coward. He had been in battle before
and had acquitted himself creditably
where winged death was flying on every
side. He was simply the victim Of his
nerves, which failed at critical
moment and placed him in such a con
dition that even the contemptuous
laughter and ieers of the soldiers under
his command awaited naught to over
come the fright which paralyzed every
faculty of mind and body. Men have
not, however, yet reached the point
when u cowardly act can be excused by
an alleged failure of the nervous system
to perform its functions. 1t is more
than likely that such an excuse will
never be received from derelict soldiers.
1t is, perhaps, as we'll that it should
not be, for if there is any calling on
earth in which dilapidated nervous
system is ruinous alike to effectiveness
and reputation it is the profession of
arms Yet it is quite possible that
more than one unexplained disaster
or unanticipated defeat was due to
causes similar to those which made a
momcntary coward of the young lieu
tenant at Balaklava.
'The blood is the life.'' Science has
never gone beyond that simple state
ment of scripture. But it has illumi-
mated that statement and given il
meaning ever broadening with The