Evening star., 1921-11-07
The Grim Neurotic.

A neurotic is-well, when q patient
or patron begins to be a pest the doc
tor is liable to get mad and call him
"a neurotic. Technically, neurotic
is an individual who is equipped with
q neurosis. And a neurosis il defined
by one eminent authority as a kind
Of dugout in which the neurotic hides
to escape the difficulties and RESPONSE
bilities of life. But I don't mean to
be too severe on the neurotic. There's
still another definition of neurosis
which is rather more soothing. For
merly neurosis was any derange-
ment OF the nervous system, but more
latterly it was only a functional dis
very latest question ls: why Is a
nsurologist. anyway And no answer
has yet been found. When a special
list, much less an ordinary general
physician, gets to diferentiatfns
functional from organic disease he
to be classified as q necessity.
BY this time it should be apparent
to any discerning reader that I don't
know much about neurotics and that
l am making a very creditable enort
to finish this article without empha-
I'm writing in the accepted form and
manner for all authors of books and
essays on How to Control Your
Nerves" and suchlike fiction.
Speaking with as much candor as Is
permissible in an article on such a
subject, J. may admit that neurosis
is disorder of the nervous system
for which the doctor or specialist can
determine no cause. That is some
thing like the truth, and in telling II
clear myself Of the suspicion Of be-
ing a. nerve specialist. If had
t&tl II w. Nd oh in
inches more stature and about SO pei
cent more vocabulary I'd become q
nerve specialist myself.
Among the choicer varieties Of neu.
roses are anxiety neurosis, which II
an exaggerated fear or foreboding
culled from a nostrum testimonial o,
a quack doctor book; occupation neu.
rosis. such as writer's cramp; trau'
matte neurosis, such as railway spin'
or litigation sprain; hereditary neu
rosis, such as migraine or epilepsy
rasthenia. There's nothing willful Of
counterfeit about epilepsy, misraine
railway spine or exaggerated fear Of
dogs or OF nervous breakdown-yel
there's a funkhole somewhere--anc
in his zeal to find it the doctor some:
likes it SO we'll he makes it his own.
The determined neurotic consults
an endless series Of doctors and spe:
cialists, regular and irregular. and
! smiles grimly to- himself over the
dismal failure OF each succeeding
unhappy if some doctor should catch
him skulking in his dugout and ex-
pose his involuntary duplicity. Grim.
iy he goes through life, the bane oi
every doctor he can buttonhole long
enough to tell about his experiencee
nj dnNfnHa 0nnQ1
Of the doctors and most Of his friends
for the very reason that he 10 % care.
ful about himself, always giving him
self the soft end Of everything. al.
ways side.steppinS life's little tfibu.
his wife. husband, children, friends-
Oh, boys, it's . great life IL you've
got q dugout!
QUESTIONS AND ANswERS.
Grandma and !.
Kindly give me your opinion Of the
child pieces Of raw potato to sai
every day. thought It harmful. but
the child's mother, formerly q nurse
declares it is good for the child
Mrs. L. Fl.
Answer.-Provided tho child chews
the potato, grandma and I agree that
it is wholesome practice.
Belt and Suspenders.
You are quoted as asserting that a
belt worn with Suspenders is harm
less. but q belt worn without sus-
penders is Injurious. Please explain
My Why g cyGMa ~ hold such . theory
Answer.-With suspenders q. belt d
worn for vanity's sake and i0 usually
not tight enough to do any harm
Without suspenderD . belt q worn d
hold up the trousers and - gener-
ally tight enough to do harm. The
AraE Of the weight Of the trousers