New-York tribune., 1920-12-12

housewife, and they weave and inter-
weave IN very complex way to pro-
ducc a variety of results. The nature
of the housewife, the conditions of her
life and her relations to her husband
are these three factors"
He points out types Of women who
are peculiarly likely to fall victims to
some form OF nervousness. There is the
hvperasthetc woman, who is too easily
upset by some trifing mishap. There is
the Demonstrations woman, who makes
mountain of speck of dust. Then
there is the neurasthenic woman, a type
which is especially common in our deli
cate and complex civilization. Unlike
some of his colleagues, DR.. Myerson is
not inclined to consider neurasthenia
sign Of degeneration. On the contrary,
he says:
II believe that such woman (the
neurasthenic type is more often the
mother of high ability than her more
placid sister; that something of the
delicacy of feeling and intensity Of re-
action Of neurasthcna is q condition of
genius. We are too far away from any
real knowledge Of heredity to advise for
or against marriage on this basis, and
certainly we must not repeat Lombrosos
and Nordau's errors and call all varia-
tions from stupidity degeneration"
At the same time, the neurotic woman
is a delicate plant, requiring the most
watchful care and attention.
The author believes that the house
wife is sometimes nervous just because
she is housewife. Domestic work is
lonely, sedentary, monotonous, uninter-
sstng. AS the author observes:
Man writes songs and books about
he home, but the woman lives there.
Perhaps that is why women have not
igitten sentimental verse about it,
Lacking adequate domestic service, a
'onan must possess exceptional charac-
CT or ability to mango a home effec-
..vciy without occasionally feeling pref
we'll tired and disgusted with life.
= he modern housewives boredom is
o,ton intensified by the fact that she
armed her living in store or Office or
'actory before becoming married. These
avenues of escape were not open to
women on large scale fifty years ago,
so their occasional outbursts of discon-
cent We're not quickencd by the sense Of
contrast.
The author is convinced that many
nervous ailments which aff1ict women
can be traced to the very imperfect
methods of teaching sex hygiene which
prevail in this country. On the ques-
ton Of the relations between the sexes
he takes a sane. middle ground position
equally far removed from puritanism
and from license. He censures the mod
orn tendency toward extreme laXity in
marital relations; but he contends that
the remedy does not lie in stricter di-
vorce legislation but in a more intelli-
gent effort to combat the fundamental
causes Of divorce. As he says
"Roma nticism, which extos sex as the
prime and only thing of life; prudery
which closes its eyes to it and makes
sour faces, need special places in
| Dante's Inferno"
| Dr. Myerson has no sympathy with
those who sigh regretfully for Johr
Barleycorn. He rejoices in the passing
4 of liquor, as in the removal of a primary
cause Of nervousness and misery fol-
II many women:
H "To see, as | do, the almost complet,
II absence of delirium trcmens from tn
II emergency and city hospitals, where ono
II every Sunday morning found a dozen o
II two of raving men; 20 witness the dis
II appearance OF alcoholic insanity from
i our asylums, where once it constituted
| is per cent Of the male admissions; t.
| see cruelty to children drop to one
tenth of its former incidence; to know
| that former drunkards are steadily a
| work, to the JOY of their wives and tn
l good of-their own souls-ths is to max
| one bitterly impatient with the chatte
L about the Joy and pleasure of lif
H gone etc, that has become the stock
Il intrade Of the stage and the press
II The author ascribes the problem O
II "the nervous housewife" in part to tn
conditions of modern American lift
II The unprecedented production and dis
II play of all sorts of luxuries arouse j
II the woman desires for articles whic
II her grandmother never even dreamed O
II This circumstance often leads to discon
tent and depression, if the family purs
Il fails to satisfy her aspirations More
III over, women in all civilized countre
II are now undergoing a process of trans
II ton and readjustmcnt. The old fash
II ioned woman, whose interests wer
II confined largely to her home, is disa1
II pcaring; but the new woman, who prof.
II ably devotes considerable share Of he
II time to some occupation outside til
III home, has scarcely yet discovered he
H proper technique Of living. DR.. Mye,
II son hopes that the burden Of her house
II keeping may be greatly relieved in th
II future by vide extension and dcvclor
III mcnt Of the principles Of cooperation.
II The author is q sturdy believer in tn
II new woman who votes and chooses he
III own life interests quite independent!
I'll He never INDUCES in any sentiments
II nonsense about returning to the largcl