Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-03-07

TO AVOID nervous Wreckage tnat may
I perhaps extend to mental wreckage, l
Il have again and again insisted that
training in emotional control is one OF the
great indispensables Evidence continually
accumulates to Justify such insistence. 49,
Recently have been particularly impress
ed by the results Of an analytical inquiry into
the causes of the nervous and mental break
downs of 1900 patients studied by Phila-
delphia specialist, DR.. Alfred Gordon
With much uniformity Dr.. Gordon found
in these patients family history evidences of
an unfavorable heredity. But in certain types
of nervous and mental disease he also found
that the Immediate cause of trouble was emo
tional strain acting on minds not fitted to
bear up we'll under it. --~.
OF eleven hundred cases of psychO-neurosis
Chysteria, neurasthenia,. and psycasthenia)
nearly 900 got along well enough in life until
subjected to some great disappointment I'M
expectedly experienced. Many Others col
lapsed nerVously when illness occurred in the
family, causing them intense anxiety regard
ing husband, wife, parent, brother, sister, or
lchild ,..">r~ =. "..
Sudden fright was another common cause
Loss of fortune of livelihood accounted for
Istill other cases of psycho-neurosis. And some
were directly traceable to emotional strain
connected with political campaigns, meetings
of creditors, visits to fortune tellers, and at
Tendance at seances in spiritualism and hyp-
Inotism.
Weakness of emotional control was equally
apparent in many cases of the type Of men
tai disease known as manic-depressiVe insan-
tity. ., .s,.r1. ..re
GIN the largest majority of these, ," reports
Dr. GodrOn, incidents of a Oppressive char
Iacter preceded the onset of the psychosis.
and as follows: ..... .,... l..~
'In the young indiviCTals a sudden depres-
sive emotion such as abandonment by a per-
son who intended to marry, sudden depres-
sive news concerning the health of nearest
relatives, disappointment from, failure in col
lege examinations, sudden discovery Of mar
ita1 infidelity.
"In older persons strong disappointment in
undertakings, in business transactions. heaVy
financial losses, but more frequently dlsap-
pointment from an nebility to meet all the
ibligations iCWard the family" ..> u
Inability to react moderately to emotlonal
strains figured again as a direct cause IN nu-
merous patients suffering from melanchoHa,
and in many others (younger people, sl1teen
to thirty years of age) in prolonged depres-
sive state not properly classifablH as me1an-
cholia Of this last gr up DR. Gordon says:
"Disappointment in love affairs was the
predominant factor ir the females, although
a sufficiently large number OF males. were
seen with this same exciting cause. Calam-
tiles occurring to nearest relatives, also fear
of poverty-these two factors had the greater
effect on males than or females
There is nothing in the report bearing on
the decree or kind OF training in emotional
control these poor people received = during
childhood But it is safe to say that they
were imperfectly trained for most people are
imperfectly trained in this, tremendously III
pOrtant respect. ..s ;~-.s~r 49,, I =. .:.t-
: And not until emotion training is more
wisely and conscientiousIy carried on IN the
home and during lifes early years need: we
hone for any lessening in the numbers OF the
nervously and mentally i'll. : +.