The northwestern bulletin., 1923-09-15
Health Talk !:
BY DR.. j. w. Crunip

III a otoNC q
certain professor; man with a bril-
liant intellect; the principal of a
large school. A few days ago the
writer received a letter from this
professor stating that his eldest
daughter, a bright girl of fifteen,
had, as he expressed it; lost her
mind"
Recalling the girl to mind the
writer has a mental picture of a
bright eyed, intelligent young girl, a
graduate in June from the high school
and secretary of several church aux
iliaries and a member of the choir.
So much for her mental attainments.
AS to her physical attributes we re-
call a somewhat fleshy girl whom we
have never seen participating in any
out door exercises; who carried her
self as though always passing in re-
view, and whose complexion was
muddy and sallow despite the evident
use of cosmetics. We recall that she
was subject to constipation and was
treated several times for indigestion
and rapid heart action. This then,
is the picture of the young girl from
whose sad plight we wish to draw a
lesson.
Her parents, both teachers, en-
couraged her in her efforts to make
rapid advance in school forgetting
that while she had a mind she also
had a body which needed attention.
With pardonable pride they noted
her quick intelligence and rapid prog
ress in her classes. They let her
see that they were proud of her and
so encouraged her to be proud Of
herself. With the encouragement Of
her parents and because of her own
pride then she gave more and more
time to study until the last final eff
fort was made to finish high school,
at the head of her class in the history
of the school.
But this mental exertion was the
straw that broke the camePs back,
the overtaXed brain gave way and
now she is a moaning, screaming
maniac at the age of fifteen.
Insanity in children is confined
almost exclusively to the United
States. We believe so firmly in our
doctrine of equality for all that the
child is encouraged to cram itself
with book-lore-to rush through
school, so that it may be the first in
the scramble for higher place in the
public or economic life. Not enough
thought is taken of the undeveloped
body which must be kept in good
condition if the brain it supports is
to survive, while the brain itself is
kept in a constant state of irritation
because of it's unnatural activity.
During the first twelve years OF
life the body should have the greater
attention from us because it is dur
ing this time that the growth is
greatest and the need for judicious
| control is most necessary.
My good friend, the professor, In
his pride and ambition for his daugh-
ter forgot this fundamental fact, and
is now paying dearly for his mental
| lapse.
This child was allowed to eat any
thing she wished, and to spend her
time almost exclusively in reading,
not only text books but books OF
fiction and imagination. AS con-
sequence she became self centered
introspective and unduly proud OF
her mental attainments, which pride
led her to be also overfond of her
face and hair. The lack of exercise
and unwise diet caused her to become
overweight and led to constipation
which in turn led to indigestion and
rapid heart action.
This was a condition, set up with
in the body of this bright young girl
which ultimately brought her splen.
did mental structure crashing down
from lack of support from the body
and doomed her to a life of semi.
insanity; a twilight of intelligence
where once all was bright and fair.