New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-22
ITALY AND SOUTH OF FRANCE
GENOA. IH n VaTE rAsl
az "EDEN PALACE. "
NERVOUS? HOW SILLY!
Professor Muensterberg's Theories
Says CHy's Noises Haven't In
creased Strain of Life.

Americas national disease. nervousness Is all an
Illusion. We have hypnotized ourselves into tho
belief that We nervous owing to the cornpIexty
of modern life and forth. while real trouble
is laziness and undeveloped will power. The spe-
cialists and patent medicine folk and faith cursts
have reaped rich harvest by playing on our wea<
credulity that were nervous wrecks and needed
to be healed. Yes. the simple life opponents
and gymnasiumists have gulled with their pre-
scriptons Of back TO nature" and exercise. Exer-
else is about the most sinful panacea OF ALL II Is
a habit. and bad one. like tobacco and rum. Prob
ably vacations another bad habit Nerves.
Tired feeling? Pshaw What need is q stream
from a hose to wake up and a clout the back
to arouse us 70 a sense OF our duty.
Such Is the tenor OF Professor Hugo Minister
bergs discoveries Nerves" recorded In the Au-
gust Metropolitan Magazine" If a lesser author
ity announced such discoveries. he would be mObbed
laughed at by the hosts OF American neurasthen-
les and their sympathizers. But a 9Iinsterbery
deserves need of respectful attention. even though
legislatures fail 70 prohibit exercise along with alco
hOl and people refuse 10 their vacations and
TO work twice hard whenever they feel tired
The assduoUs and nlustrious psychologist propounds
the following semi scientific observations:
Regular physical exercise of the artificial kind
IS habit which, Just like the moderate use OF Ugh,
alcoholic beverages. has certain advantages. but
which also be held within the closest limits.
unless the disadvantages are to be greater. Ger
tanly it is less artifciaIy introduced into
social life, and in this too It is just wise
not 10 allow TO become a habit. To wander
through the country fine day is a beautiful m
spration and heathful for every ole to need tbs
walk with chanicaI regularity IS the product OF
a bad training and 70 become the slave of Swedish
gymnastic apparatus IS no better than slavery -
cigars.
Athletics exercise and restoration ars
needless in moderation and harmful in strong
doses and the necessity only results from the long
training in it, For long time the pedagogue
believed that muscular effort was the best recrea-
ton after the intellectual work of the school child.
Nowadays we know that the opposite is true. There
Is only one source Of restitution OF used-up brain
energy. and that is rest and sleep. together with
fresh air and good nOurishment- II the craving
for physical exercise is not Intentionally injected
into the body by habtuaI indulgence In this useless
stimulation the normal personality can do lust as
good work and remain just well without such
strained effort"
Express trains telephones and elevators have not
Increased the nervous strain of modern Hfe argues
the professor They lessen the friction OF existence
compared with what our forefathers knew. "Ot
IL is true he says that the social life has
become manifold and the outer tension has
become stronger. but ii is entirely misleading
believe that that itself greater strain tho
nervous system The scientific psychologist brings
no clearer conviction from his laboratory study OF
mental life than that OF the relatively OF mental
states. The miller does not hear the noise Of
the mill No OF feels the touch OF his
clothes. In the same way we have become insen-
sitive by adaptation to our tumultuous surround
ings When return from the mountain woods
We hear the roaring OF the city for day two.
and then il sinks below our consciousness and
longer harms our well adapted nerves. Moreover.
while our modern life has become more manifold.
it's emotional strain is rather less than that
OF the past Our life Is less sentimental and more
realistic and businesslike
Least OF all ought TO measure the good
poor states OF national nerves by the COM
plants OF tiredness. II is true there persons
who demand from their nerves more than hysienic
life would allow because they too little provided
with the healthy feelings Of fatigue which nature
has arranged as warning sign for the exhaustion
OF the nervous system But lncomparahly larger IS
the number OF these who have trained themselves
70 feel fatigued long before any exhaustion Ia
threatening IL is a weakness of VIII and attention
which causes the deCeitlul impression OF nervous
exhaustion. which Is really nothing but a poor
habit. Imitation plays Og role in IT, continuous
Indulgence a greater The longing for rest and for
interruption OF regular work can become just IS
much a craving and vicious custom as the longing
for stimulauts.
It is an illusion that time Is moro nervous
than earlier periods. is illusion that tho mate
rial and social conditions under which We tive
favorable TO nervous diseases: IL Is an nlusoa that
the highly praised remedies would really tAslH
puruoso X the disease listed