St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-05-14
NOW 1T is THE AUTO FACE.
Strain and Excitement Of Rapid 10
comotion Productive Of Facial
Distortion.

Notwithstanding that autOmObillng is
of comparatively recent advent, the
auto" face is becoming daily more ap-
parent. The "auto" face, as we see it, is
a composite of anxiety showing mental
strain, determination at the cost Of much
will power and fear. The latter is some
what like that Of the boy who has deter
mined that he will dive into the river for
a swim for the first time. He hesitates
on the bank. His desire is to go in, his
fear keeps him back. The auto" face Is
not a happy, healthy, contented face,
says the Pacific Medical Journal. There
Is too much of the acrobat's uncertainty
mixed with fear about it to make 1t enjoy
able to look at or pleasurable to feel. A
prominent San Francisco practitioner
told the writer not long ago that he had to
give up his auto wagon. The nervous
strain required to run it was too ex-
hausting. He could not give his patients
the same care and thought as formerly.
because the auto consumed much Of his
nervous energies. At night he would
awaken with start and pass many sleep
less hours. During the daytime his mind
would revert to the celebrating pleas
ure of rapid locomotion. Then he must
excel at the next turnout OF autos and
beat Dr. Cautious" although the latter
machine is the better. Then comes a
thought and shudder every now and
again about that narrow escape he had
the other day. His cordae tendinae and
columnae carnae frightened and distinct
nerve exhaustion resulted. It reminds
the writer of trip he took in 1892
through China. There were ten in our
party. We were carried in sedan chairs
through the narrow and crowded streets,
visiting temples" and palaces" Our
Mandarin guide had a. escort of armed"
men to protect his white devil" visitors.
Our anxiety was great. our watchfulness
extreme. One had to be on his guard
continuously A month before our visit
q party of visitors to the celestial city
Of Canton had been robbed. Ladies had
their earrings torn from the lobes OF
their ears and one gentleman, who at
tempted to use gun, was killed. The
marauders' heads, some 20 in number,
were exhibited on long poles by the side
of the river. Our appetite was not good
during our visit. We did not sleep we'll
at night. The excitement OF seeing a
typical Chinese city was great. The ex-
ploration was interesting, but we were
a whole week in Hong-Kong, before the
nervousness and mental fatigue wore
or Such. in way, are the feelings
brought about by "scorching" in an auto,
and all owners of autos "sc0rch." One
becomes accustomed to most things. One
may become accustomed to the auto, but
the process is not healthy. A mental in
toxication results from fast driving that
produces a deal of nerve waste. Many
auto diseases are becoming prevalent In
San Francisco. Prominent among these
are catarrhal inf1ammations of the eye,
nose, throat, ear, pharynx, larynx and
bronchi, and middle ear, and mastoid
diseases, facial and other neuralgias.
The most serious, however, are the affec-
lions of the nervous system. The motor
wagoneer will suffer from nerve tension
and nerve waste. Heis liable to become
what is now called a neurasthenic. One
may become used to the noises
of train travelling, to the noise
of ringing car bells at Kearny
and Market and Third streets of San
Francisco, and to the excitement of auto
riding and balloon ascensions, but the
nerve waste goes on just the same. It
becomes unconscious cerebration per-
haps, but the health of the individual
suffers, and we would counsel modera-
ton in speed whether on land, at sea, or
in the air.