The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-05-25
REPRESSION AND HIGH
 TENSION


 The function of nerves is to con- duct messages or impulses. The nerves do not wear out from per- forming their function, nor become exhausted nor expend appreciable energy, any more than do the wires that conduct messages when one telephones or telegraphs.
 When people speak of Thigh strung" nerves or of the Thigh tension" of business, professional and social life, they imagine it is a matter of nerve energy. but of course there is no such energy. The only energy concerned is physical, caloric, muscular energy; indeed that is the only energy recognized by physiology. The high tension is not in the nerves, but in the ar- teries. The harm done by the strain of such business, professional and social life is to the heart and ar- teries, not to the nerves.
 The conventions and amenities of business, professional and social life render it necessary for one to
  pulses. Naturally one would react to the impulse or emotion by fight ing, playing or running away, but such action, or indeed any exercise or normal expression of emotion is impolite, drowned upon or uncon- ventional, confession of low breeding. So one must repress all emotional impulses as much as possible. Yet no amount of breed- ing, culture or practice can change the physiological reactions of the circulation. So, while one sits there pretending to be unperturbed, ones heart and arteries must stand the brunt of the shock-for the blood pressure goes up and the heart beats faster and more forcibly even if one succeeds in remaining quiet and betraying no excitement. Isn't the relative degree of breeding measured by the ability of the in dividual to conceal his emotions? Isn't it "lowbrow" or vulgar to show any excitement under provo cation?
 The layman harbors some quaint notions about the nerve-restorative value of complete relaxation. Such things are million years ahead of the times. In the present stage of evolution man, irrespective of his culture and breeding, is still an animal. It is as reasonable to try to control your heartbeat or your breathing rate as it is to try to control your autonomic nervous or emotional reactions.
 The very best any human being can do in that way is to sublimate the impulse to bounce one off az. adversary's chin into run, or maybe just a brisk walk around the block. In other words, try to ab- sorb the sudden surge of energy by some unobjectionable or If possible some actually beneficial action. Ceaseless rocking, tapping the arm of the chair or even pacing the floor under some emotional stress is hardly adequate to absorb the energy mobilized by the emotion; one must engage in some real mus cular work, play or exercise com- parable in degree with the effort one would put forth in physical combat or flight were it not for civilized repression.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
 Five Gents or Five Dollars
 Three or four times recently I have had what I thought was sty on my eye. Now have two, and doctor here calls 1t hordlum or some such name and says my constitution must be in bad condition. (M. L)
 Answer-Hordeolum is a five dol lar word for sty. Also it tends to keep the patient from asking why, and as the doctor doesn't know why, you see it is valuable word. Send a three-cent stamped envelope bear ing your address, and ask for mono- graph on styes.
 Dates and Prunes