The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-12-09
BY MARGARET D. sANGsTER.


 Copyright, 1906, by Joserh B. Bowles.)
 The prevalence of nervous disease cannot be Ignored by anyone who Is fa- miliar with social conditions in Amer ica. Both women and men are suffer- CTS from a malady that creeps on them stealthily and pounces on it's victims as a beast springs from ambush. The nervous patient apparently breaks down suddenly. but in reality the disease has been making its gradual approach with ste so slow and symptoms so slight that they have been unnoticed by fam fly and friends, and have otfen escaped the vigilant eye of the physician.
 It Is no longer an extraordinary oc- currence in life to be obliged to spend period of retirement at a rest cure or a sanitarlum, and the people who re- quire teatment for nerves are of no class or spec. al degree of culture.
 They include men of brilliant ability, famous at the bar, on the bench and in the pulpit; women of fashion ana aristocratic breeding at one end of the scale, and at the other they number hard-working laborers, toiling at grinding and monotonous task for small daily wage. and the wives of far mers and workingmen to whom the excitement of the social whirl are un- known.
 Among the victims of nervous dis ease are those who can arord to pay nrincely sums for medical skill and professional nursing In the retreats to which they go they are encompassed with gentle ministries and receive con- stant and sedulous care. When the pendulum swings the other way and 1t is in the home of decent poverty that nervousness binds a sufferer in chalns that are pitiful instances or distress because of the lack of money. A few months ago an honest man, earning regular but small income.@knocked in vain at the ioors of a dozen lnstltu- lions. He was willing and anxious to pay a sum in accordance with hls means for the relief of his suffering wife, but there was not hospital open to one like her. Of course there are State asvlums and hospitals to which peo le are consigned and where they may receive scientific Urea tment without cost to themselves, but there are thousands of self-respecting and independent families living on small Incomes who would rather see their dear ones Tn the grave than in a public and charitable i institution.
 i What are the causes that explain l the increase of nervous disease? They are not far to seek. A common and freuuent beginning of nervousness is excessive worry. When anyone is un- der a continual strain, no matter what it's nature, there is injury to the phys ical and mental fabric to an extent that means mischief in due time.
 Doubtless, most of us worfy too much over trines Little things veX our souls and harrass our patience. Larger things dwell u on our strength, too, and the burden grows greater tran we 7an lift or carry. good deal of worry would be prevented could we gain ous own consent to live in the present anl dismiss undue anxiety about the flu ture. IL is not today that wears Us out half so often as it is tomorrow. w. are afraid that the house will take fire or the children have scarlet fever or whooplng cough or the money prove insufficient for the demands upon 1t, O. that a lad may lose his situation, or 3 sfrl be unable to get through college We scend an enormous amount of oul capital stock of wholesome vigor II worrying about possible accidents an' casualties, and we drift into stat'