Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-01-22
TIE BLUSHING HABIT.
IL Ia n TO BE a Disease of the Nerves
Unhappy Cases Seen rye
Doctor.

At Vienna a scientist and doctor
who has made an especial study OF
blushing declares that it is a disease
of the nerves. He declares that
blushing should be treated like any
other nervous disease, and that in
many cases it is hereditary, says the
Scotsman. One of his patients Ia
mani told the doctor that the fear of
blushing, kept alive by the %jocular
taunts of his friends, had caused him
such depression of spirits that he
had several times been on the verge
of suicide.
Another patient "a society woman)
suffered seriously from nervous pros
tration in consequence of the teasing
of her friends, who made her blush
just "for the fun of it," A colleague
told the doctor of one of his patients
who was driven mad by blushing.
Her mental condition was greatly
improved by her transfer from a
chamber papered in red and fur
nished in mahogany to a green room
with oak furniture. This woman is
again in society, but is subject to
occasional attacks of blushing that
affect her mentally at the sight of
red dresses, red ribbons or anything
in red. He has discovered that those
addicted to blushing suffer less in
summer than in the cold months, and
that summer is the best time of the
7-oar in y,hinh r., he traata1 for fha
annoying disease.
There are critical times, even in
the warm months, for the blusher.
when a thunderstorm is in the air
and in the damp of the early morn
and late at night persons addicted to
the habit blush most often and most
violently" says the doctor, who dis
tinguishes between two kinds of
Distinguishing caused by ex-
~traordinary sensitiveness, extreme
bashfulness or modesty, and blush
ing because of the blusher's apprc-
hension of the act of blushing. A
certain young woman, extremely
pretty, was driven to forswear So
ciety because the unfortunate attic
ton of blushing extended to her
beautiful neck and arms. and thus
prevented her from appearing in full
dress. This young woman suffers not
only outwardly, but she loses all self
control when blushing. Her thoughts
are ''all mixed up" and she cannot
speak connectedly. She underwent
treatment for nervousness, but the
doctors could not help her.
Another singular ease was that Of
a leading actress, who consulted the
doctor. "She had ruined her com.
pleXion," said he. 'by excessive use
of white grease paint applied to GOV
er her bushes, which married her
performance. She blushed whenever
anything went wrong behind the
scenes or on the stage, and had no
control of her emotions. She is a
very young woman; / never met with
the trouble among actresses of ma
ture years." The doctor says that
strong men do not blush except I'M
der extraordinary circumstances;
"hdt DiushihS 10 tluly 81 lHdlh VI Cl'
feminacy. B%lushing men are seldom
cured, for they are often sufferers
from heart disease.
81 have known blushing fits, Sc
called" said he, 'to last for hours
accompanied by irregular pulse and
excited heart. To blushing men and
women with families l say: IF yor
have a boy or girl who bushes undel
a reproach, or for fear of being
found out, do not tell them of it
for if you do you will rouse in then
apprehensions. If the child has any
steadiness of mind, you will under
mine it; if he has no stamina. YOU
. will completely unsettle him. There
are foolish people who think theil
children are innocent so long as they
can blush. What n~onsense!'"