The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-10-14
DON'T THINK TOO MUCH
Specialist Points Out the Danger Of
Over Exertion of the Brain.

Over Exertion Of the Brain.
"The brain is man s most faithful
friend. and would be man s best com
panion if he understood it BETTER
said q prominent specialist to Star
reporter.
hend what we term the mind and the
process of thinking, and not as ply
steal object or Il medium which directs
our actions, or through which We, or
the animate spirit, directs US, lust as
theorists please to take tive Will look
upon it as a thing with which we rlay
hold communion, and proceed upon that
hypothesis.
''On the stage the prize idiot in the
cast, usually young nobleman, or
dude, always raises Il laugh when, with
vacant stare and set features, he
speaks his lines about the effort Of
thinking and the wearying effect Of
such mental process upon his physical
being. He really speaks greater truth
than either he or the audience takes
in. for thinking is an effort, be tho
thought in itself ever so frothy and
ephemeral, and could we lessen the pro-
cess Of thought at viii, as au engi-
neer applies the airbrakes TO his train,
much Of the trouble and disease in life
would vanish like the meadow rapor
80 1t is this impossible process TO en-
tirely still what rs called the thinking
process which is one Of the most inter
esting studies of the specialist, for {
is, plainly speaking, the inability or the
Individual TO eliminate certain thoughts
or n certain thought, from the brain
cells, or TO still it into inactivity, that
fills the insane asylums, produces nerv.
ous wrecks in other individuals and
causes trouble, confusion and chaos all
around In everyday life
"Persons to whom this fact appeals
should endeavor TO take their own
brain into communion with their own
selves; to set it up as another person,
with whom they may hold converse,
and the objective and subjective mind
admit of this through conscious action
and in some happy and fortunate lndi-
vIduals through unconscious action,
"A little practice will make this
possible to the student, though his
progress will he by degrees, and not in
one jump He should first understand
that thinking is largely a matter of
habit; that the brain is one of the
most willing organs in his body at Ms
command, and, honest and faithful as 1T
is to him, will respond TO his calls upon
it, He should, therefore, give 1T rs
much needed rest as possible by the
process of sleep, and during awakening
hours by not calling upon II for thought
except when necessary. The average
person will put in q tremendous amount
Of unnecessary thought effort upon the
simplest everyday matters of life
Again, he Will allow his objective
mind to cling 10 one or several thoughts
with persistent tenacity. In this event
he wears out particular cells of his best
friend, and where this habit is main
tanned he often becomes nuisance to
his friends and family. by developing
into what is termed crank, and at
times he eXhausts these same cells in
this manner and lands In the asylum.
''Most people use their brains too
much, either in utter idle waste or in
over-concentrated work, and when their
best friend begins to show a mild re-
sentiment by showing signs of fatigue
they ply it with stlmulants which sci
ence or the distillery have placed at
their disposal. Even under these mean
circumstances the brain, dlSgusted al
though it is with such shabby treat
ment, goes on doing the best il can
for its owner, until temporary inscnsi-
bility, insanity or death ensues
lit viii be found that cooperation
with the brain in the process of stllliE9
thought is not as difficult as would nc
supposed, for the brain Will remain Jul
escent if you will only permit 1T, md
become. strengthened thereby, Just as
it will respond TO the limit of exhaus-
tion when called upon. This theory is
very easily evolved into successful
practice, and | commend it to men of
active minds, especially professional
men. for il will be found 10 lessen nerv-
Gus tension, soothe the temper, promote
the appetite and produce good nature
in otherwise nervous, touchy and disa-
greeablo people. y