The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-05-31
EXAMINATION JYTTERs AND
 STAGE FRIGHT

STAGE FRIGHT
 They are practically the same malady, though which is worse de- pends on which you have at the mo- ment. Examination jitters has grad- ual onset, beginning several weeks before the test or examination, in- creasing day by day. reaching its peak at zero hour. It sticks there until you have hurriedly run over the questions and formed rough idea how many you can hit hard enough to get passing mark-or no mark at all, as the cas0may be, then the attack terminates abrupt ly, by crisis, like lobar pneumonia, only instead of going into heavy sweat you just realize how silly you were to worry 50 much about the darned thing.
 Stage fright has sudden onset, coincident with the invitation, re- quest or notice to address the meet ing or take role in the cantata. Temperature rises quickly to 104 and continues steadily around that level whenever you think of the dPpLOdIliAh6 t4iCAi, like typhoid fever, declines gradu- ally by lysis in the week or two Gas it seems) after you have somehow stumbled through your first para graph or line on facing the audience. Maybe 1t is only the blood pressure, not the temperature, that goes up. I have never been in any condition to determine that point in my case.
 A good many victims have testi- fled that the quinine treatment as- suages or prevents stage fright, and more swear by quinine as the sovereign remedy for examination jitters.
 Too often students preparing for examination resort to drugs which produce wakefulness or stimulate the cerebrum and other higher nerve centers. Every such drug we know has harmfully by-effects or de- pressing effects, aside from the ever present risk of addiction. Quinine in moderate doses is coln- paratively harmless. In fact 1t is more or less tonic, tending to build up the strength of the red blood corpuscles.
 Quinine prevents or moderates stage fright and examination jit- ters by its gentle stimulation of SetschienoW's reflex inhibitory cen- ter in the spiral cord. I'm sorry about the name, but know of no simpler one Translated into plain language 1t means that quinine steadies reflex action or tends to control nerves" or nervousness.
 Of course quinine Is cerebral stimulant too, though not so power full as the more dangerous drugs ill., advised students sometimes use when cramming for examinations.
 Where any prolonged mental and physical strain is to be undergone, one grain of quinine three times a day for few weeks will tend to prevent exhaustion and support the system.
 In using quinine to prevent or moderate stage fright or examina- ton jitters the quinine may be taken in tablet, pill, capsule, as you prefer, the dose being one grain three times a day, just before or after meals. Either plain quinine or quinine sulphate or quinine bi- sulphate may be used-the last IS somewhat more soluble and also more expensive. Begin taking the quinine perhaps two weeks before the ordeal and continue 1t up to zero hour. If it does no good at any rate 1t can do no harm.
 Physic
 Do you consider it injurious in any way for each member of the family to take a good dose of salts once month? (M. B.
 Answer-Well, I wouldn't do so. That is a morbid fancy, keeping the system cleaned out. Every member