The Washington herald., 1912-02-18
How to Make Most of Yourself;
Learn to Control Your Nerves.
Ru G MARnOcKS
By c. S. MADDOCKS.

ideals and puts the mind at a tension. This
may amount to intoxication. dangerous states
Of excitability and intensity. unless con-
trolled.
DR.. schofeId says however, for our COM
fort, that times Of great excitAhility, intensi-
~, and Of imperfect control have always
preceded great controlled activities This
is Illustrated In ancient history BY the
periods Of progress in culture in Greece, and
later by the Renaissance In Europe The
same characteristics 'can be seen In our ma
tional life today. There Is high Intensity,
ideals far in advance Of achievement strain
rapidly unfolding powers, imperfect control.
In the life OF any growing Individual similar
periods can be detected. governed by the
same laws Of progress. Periods Of craving
for intensity. OF unfolding power, and imper-
feet control preeede periods Of greatest
achievement and directed effort
The present day writer's on nervous life
are considering its troubles prophylactically,
and more and more recognising the normal
side Of the question or the value OF nerve
power. or the supreme value to progress OF
this particular biological factor in mankind.
+ =
Lack of Control.
are the victims, are due to imperfect adapaa-
tIon, to lack OF knowledge OF how to accom-
modate, and therefore lack Of control. When
men are in but imperfect control Of newly
acquired powers they cannot function fully
or with precision.
Hysteria, the result OF some slight but real
disease. is common In persons Of Unbalanced
or worn out brains. Its real seat Is In the
brain, although It's manifestations are physi-
cal It is common in the spring. when the
nervous system is least well balanced, says
DR.. schoheld, and to both the under and the
over worked, the badly trained and imper-
fectly educated. He quotes DR.. BuEzard in
a paragraph giving the mental conditions
found in these sufferers a. follows: "Inteln-
gence good, apprehension quick, memory
good. Judgment weak, no ability of concen-
tration OF thought for any length OF time.
Accuracy and perseverance are dehcient.
Emotions too easily excited and incapable OF
control The expression Of emotion is incon-
gruous-tesrs at ridiculous subjects and
laughter at tragic. There is great desire for
the sympathy and attention Of others
Mirth. music, physical exercise, change Of
interest or occupation are some Of the things
recommended as curatives for diseased
nerves and also as rests for tired nerves
Something that gives rise to new emotions
is sought. for as DR.. Carpenter says, " II Is
safe TO assert that whenever there Is an
unsatisfactory nervous condition there is
always emotional disturbance"
4
Utilizing Bad EMOTIONS.
Distressing emotional ills ara allowed to
develop without the slightest attention, be-
Il.
true in the case of children. But even bad
emotions can be utilized and transformed
into forces. Chronic fear, anger, irrita-
ton, and disappoIntments can thus be treat
ed. used as forces rather than combatsd by
main strength " II consciousness Is kept
full Of normal interests. well organized, II
can be swept clean OF most that is unds-
sirable''
DR.. G. Stanley Hall, in his latest volume,
" Educational Problems" in discussing the
pedagogy OF music, says: Thus, in a day
when psychologists are realizing with one
accord that the feelings are far vaSter than
the intellect and Will, and are more important
for health and sanity. it is clear that music
teachers. more than any other class, are
charged with the custody and responsibility
Of the hygiene of the emotions. Do they
sufficiently realize that music may enfeeble,
corrupt, seduce, degrade let loose the worst
things in the sOul-that 1t may bring neuras-
thenia. loss OF control. neurotic instability,
poIlute the very springs Of life while,
on the other hand, good music may almost
create virtue?"
The insane, those who are suffering with
the most extreme form OF nervous disease
are soothed and often cured by the right kind
of music. 1t therefore stands to reason
that music may be good for less fully diseased
nerves-for those weary but not disordered.
Music Relieves Fatigue.