The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-17
NERVES OF MODERN MAN.
Their Weakness the Case of Many
 Purely Physical Maladies.

ot. LOUIE Gf0De~DemOCrat.,-
 Thee managers of an Eastern railroad report a singular case of accident occurring on their line, the engineer of train running past s and yet being. as he himself expressed it. SO
 Mustered that he was unable to act in tine to prevent the collision which followed When questioned by the medical experts very shortly after the accident, the man seemed to be in a condition of nervous tension so great as to indeed. not long afterward he the vic- tim of nervous collapse, from which, at latest adyiees. 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 mysterious and hitherto a un, n. causes similar if not identical with those in this instance. nomentary suspension, per haps paralysis of nervous energy, and conse- quent inability to act with the promptness de- manded by the occasion.
 It 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. oven with tho best physical cxertion demanded by the occasion. Such people are cursed with what they cal unexpected sounds: they become easily fa- tigu$d by unusual exertton, and quickly totally united for any calling in which sud den 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 nervous ness to graver maladies involving the brain and nervous system. Fortunately for them. selves, however. only in a comparatively srnall number of cases does the infrmity proceed thus far. Sometimes. by change of sur state of health; not infrequently throughout life they remain weak, in semi ted condition. a misery to themselves and source of annoyance and irritation to all with whom they come fin contact.
 Even to the strong. however. as to the en gineer already mentioned, therc sometImef when the Ryatem seems utterly to fall fin the performance of It's func- tions. and this fact may perhaps account not only for railroad accidents, hut also for incl dents inexplicabe at the time to every be- holder. At the battle of BalakMvB. a young with sudden fear at the moment when the charge ordered. He refused to advance and threw himself upon the ground in a stantly reported to tho colonel who contemptu, ously ordered the men 10 kick him up" The unfortunate man was stripped of his arms and uniform and sent on board man-of- war to await a court-martial. He would have been shot had there been any danger of tho none. he was simply cashiered, drummed out of the camp and sent homo in disgrace The incident bliehted his life. for on his return to England he was ostracieed by all his former associates. When he knocked at the door of his fathers home his mother sent him word that she had son. His father. more merci- full, granted him a small allowance. with the bitter message that he would confer a favor on the family if he would go somewhere and
 
 fathers money, but not the advice though eventually his death was that of suicide from drink
 This man was not by nature coward. He had been in battle before and had acquitted himself creditaby where winged death was flying on every side. He was simply the vic. tim of his nerves. which failed at critical moment, and placed him in such a condition that even the contemptuous laughter and Jeers of the soldiers under his command availed naught to overcome the fright which paralyzed every faculty ot mind and body. Men have not, however, yet reached the point when a cowardIy act can be excused by an alleged failure of the nervous system to DOT form its functions It is more than likely that such an excuse will never be received from dsrelict soldiers IL is' perhaps. as well thai on earth in which a dilapidated nervous sys- tenn is ruinous alike to effectiveness and repu- tation, 1t Is the profession of arms, Yet it Is quite possible that more than one unex- plained disaster or unanticipated defeat was due to causes similar to those which made a momentary coward of the young lieutenant of Balaklaya.