The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-05
BY ELLA ADEIA FLETCHER.

Evils which threaten the health of brain
 workers are subject, with two exceptions, to
 heir own control, and can be avoided by the exercise of judgment and sometimes self control. The two exceptions are the indoor confinement for long hours and the inactive physical condition which the work necess1- tates. when a mere fraction of the muscles is called Into use and all those unemployed are becoming stagnant.
 In the case of the brain worker these pefils are enhanced by the changes of tissue in the brain, which take place rapidly during study and thought It is q popular error that the brain alone is taxed hy its labor. but three hours Of mental efTortlexhGusts the forces of the whole body as much as q day of manual labor. The absence of physical exercise en- r0urages dangeroues torpidity of voluntary functions, making their elimination of effete matter sluggish Most brain workers increase the unavoidable evils of their work by eating improper food and by taking hearty meals at the wrong hours
 These workers and all lending sedentary lives require concentrated and easily d1geSted foods. They should ea less meat less starch and sugar than those engaged in manual lahor or those who spend good deal of their time out of doors. Breakfast should be q nourishins but not q hearty meal. Fruit should be part of it. and also should form me principal part of luncheon which should ne light meal if work be continued after if. The hearty midday meal is for all persons except those living in the open air slow sul- eide When to the niudiciOus amount and Kind or food thrust upon tired organs IS added the practice of pitching that food in q nalf mastteated condition into the abused stomach at lightning express speed the con. ditlons are created that cause many deaths said to be due 10 'heart failure'
 Not half so much physical harm would be caused by doing without food until the cTav- lnr of hunppr bpq incfg ac fet tuf rf pd by eating when in state of extreme fa tigue or in haste, Under these conditions di- Eestion is so retarded that the food has time 10 ferment, generatng foul gases, which dis tend the stomach uncomfOrtnbly. sometimes causing it to press painfully upon the heart. Afternoon headaches from which so many women suffer, and the stupor and drowsiuess which overcome school children and others working at desks In mid afternoon symn- tomatic of sluggish blood and stomachie dis orders, often due to ndlscretions in eating.
 Other sufferers from this unhealthful habit are the women in small homes especially in the country, who after busy mornings en- gagged in household labor finish their work by preparing a hearty midday meal. The men who come in from the fields to partake of it and who often enjoy q leisurely smoke be lore returning to their outdoor work experi- ence no discomfort but the women are more tired when they rise from the table than when they sat down. They would consider 1t shame fnl idleness to rest half hour before doing up' the work, bad matter is made worse and they attribute the afternoon lasstude. which makes attention to duties which can not be postponed almost a torture, to the mornings labor. But the chief factor in the mischief is the absence of oxygen in the blood to feed the fires that burn away impurities. The resulting depressed condition of diges, tive organs and their inability to do more work till they are renewed are natural effects of the given cause. Their condition Is only this much better than the brain workers that the drain on physical forces has notbeen so great and the variety of their labor has given opportunity for some exercise.
 It should be the natural desire of every human being engaged in any regular oc- cupation to study the ways and means by which 10 enable himself to perform the maximum labor with a minimum expendi- ture of life's forces.
 Exercise Is the only specific for overcom. ing the dangerous stagnation which the brain workers inactivity produces; yet most persons complain that they have no time for 1t. It does not take as much time, however. as is wasted daily by most work CTS in idle talk and countless avoidable in terruptions. Sufficient exercise to raise the average of health appreciably and save many a hopeless breakdown can be taken in from three to five minutes, devoted to diff ferent movements, either hourly or from four to half dozen times during the day, ac- eording to convenience.
 In this way from twenty minutes to ha..