Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-11-08


were neurasthenic beforehand.
have been informed that the big Eng
|lishmen who go to India are quite apt
to break down, while the little men
more often pull through for many
years.
The most important facts are found
lin relation to complexion. 1t has
been particularly noticed that blends
suffer in the Philippines more than
brunets, have higher grades of neu-
lrasthenia, break down in larger num-
bers proportionately, and in many
ways prove their unftness for the eli
mate. This is the great point in re-
gard to America, and particularly the
cities in which the light glare is so
intense in summer. 1t is known that
the inhabitants of European cities are
more brunei than those of the sur
rounding country, and the same phe
lnomenon is now taking place here.
This process of the death of blond
families of our large cities, particu-
larly in the South, is very slow, to be
sure, and is not generally noticed, but
lis painful fact nevertheless, and per-
haps the main reason for that other
fact, SO long noticed, that cities are
consumers of population. Growing or
germ cells are more easily injured
than differentiated adult cells. That
lis the reason X-ray workers ars so Of
ten sterilized, why the ovary also can
be made inert, and why young animals
rova are killed by exposures to ra-
dunn, X-ray, or light in amounts which
lare harmless to adults. 1t is why
lalso men who are raised in the coun-
try can move to city and stand the
| light which kills off all their children
Or makes them so nervous that they
are not fit to procreate healthy
third generation. 1t is also why we
find dreadful neurasthenic states in
children in the cities, even babies,
when the parents are strong, and it is
also why white children in the tropics
begin to fade at seven or eight, or
about the time they begin to run
about. Infants kept indoors and pro-
ltected from the light apparently do
well in the Philippines, though I have
seen them very sick, particularly
blond children.
| have been informed by a Phila-
ldelphia neurologist that most if not
Jail his neurasthenics are from the
South, and blond at that. The north.
west corner of the United States is
the cloudiest and rainiest. Not only
do blends flourish there, but the re.
port of the surgeon-general shows
that the soldiers in that region have
the lowest sick and death rates o.
any place in the country. AS sol
diers are all of one type and live un.
der identical conditions, the result
must be due to the cloudy climate.
! 1t may be remarked in passing that
Islight degrees of fermentation are
quite good light screens. The tanning
due to sunburn, prevents a repeti.
ton of the damage, and X-rays can
be applied very strongly after previous
applications have tanned the skin
An olive skin, such as is found in the
Mediterranean basin, is protection
permitting exposures harmful to Scan
dinavians, so that such dark types
show less damage here in America.
1t has long been known that suicides
and insanity are more frequent in the
Tighter months of the year than in the
acknowledgements noticed in every
part of the world 1t seems that the
pain or irritation due to the light is
1.-THE last straw, which forces meian-
lcholics to the final act. Chronic ma
lnias are reported to be worse after
several days of intense light, and
school children are known to be better
behaved in soothing dark days, but ir-
irritable and hard to manage after sew
|eral days of bright light streaming
into the school room. Their suffer
|ings can be imagined when it is
known that there Is an actual sun
pain, or curious binding headache,
resulting from light glare in the Phil
|lippines, even when there Is not an ex-
|cessive heat. have found these
eases so bad that life was hardly
worth the living, and yet complete re-
lief could be obtained through darken-
ing the house with appropriate win
dow shades and verandas. 1t Is a
dreadful pain. which is more marked
in the blond, the neurasthenic, and in
women. Hence 1t is true that dark,
gloomy weather has a soothing eff
feet and reduces crime, insanity, mis-
,demeanors and suicide, and has the
exact opposite result of what popular
opinion gives It.