Year: 1877

that the men who make the book and
the newspapers are generally thrust up
as near heaven as the building will per
nit. By and by the life insurance com
panies will turn their attention to this
subject, and refuse the risk of lives who
find permanent employment at such gid
dY elevations"


Another physician said he had no hesi-
tation in stating that high buildings
were seriously increasing the statistics OF
insanity. Weak-minded, hysterical peO-
pie were seriously affected, and various
exaggerated forms of mental unsound-
ness were induced by this constant strain
of apprehension which it was impossible
to avert. Nervous to begin with, y
said he, "their nervousness spreads. The
vascular system of the brain becomes Op
pressed and disOrdered. MelanchoIia,
connected with conditions of general de-
bility and exhaustion, supervenes. The
sensibilitY becomes morbid. Delirium
with hallucinatiOns often follow, while at
the same time the poor victim refuses to
believe that he is i'll. He is ashamed to
confess that the elevation of his work
shop affects him. But by and by his
memory becomes impaired, and there is
decided impairment of mental vigor.
The emotions become more easily excited
and the temper becomes fitful and irri-
table. Sleep is disturbed by disagreeable
dreams, sometimes reaching to the in
tensity of nightmare.


In the early stage 1 notice that as
the mans nervousness increases, he en-
deavors to cure it by potations, especi-
ally if he be compelled to work near a
window where the consciousness of his
great height is ever present. Sometimes
the special senses are implicated. The
eyesight of the eye nearest to the dizzy
terror is sensibly impaired. There is
also singing in the same ear, and lack
of power in the same nostril. The emo
tiOns assume undue prominence. Irita-
bility of temper is always exhibited, and
generally a prOneness to take Offense and
to regard as Sights and insults acts of
others that have ne such intention. I'm
less submitted to medical treatment and
given occupation on a ground floor, the
individual commits selt-destruction to
escape the depressing influences which
act upon him. Lawyers, editors, and
intellectual men often show mental de-
moralizatiOn during a twelve months
experience of high Office. I have had
two patients to whom I could attribute
their symptoms to nothing else except an
unhealthy elevation. Both of them
were men of character and frmness.
Formerly they had held their passions
in entire subiugatiOn; but a years ex-
perience up-aloft 50 demeralized them
that they were led away by any slight
emotional disturbance. They felt grow
ing inability to exert the will in accord
ance with the intellect. They had
morbid impulses; and they were forced
to yield to these impulses, no matter how
their intellect opposed. Yet they did
not for a moment


LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS


as does the epileptic; but for a time
struggled successfully against these i'm
pulses. Then the appetite is lessened
the bowels are torpid, the kidneys fail tC
eliminate the normal quantity of urine
the heart becomes irregular in its action
and beats with inCresed frequency, and
the skin either bathed in PerspiratiOn OF
is dry and hard"


HIGH TENEMENT HOUSES.


"Do you imagine, doctor, that the
same arguments apply to those tall teEe-
ment houses ?" asked the writer. Un-
doubtedIy-I am sure of it. The time
will come when this sacrificing to MolOch
by forcing people to dwell away up in
the air will have to be prevented by leg
islation. By and by, it will be impera-
tive that a law be enacted to declare
that no apartment shall be offered for
rent above a certain elevation, either as
a workshop or living room. If the pub
lie had any conception of the agonizing,
bewildering mist of horrors that sur
rounds the laborers and denizens of these
garrets in the air, a vigorous crusade
could be speedily organized. There are
many medical men, as well as members
of other professions, who have discussed
this subject sub rosa, but their opinions
have not yet taken form or action. l for
one shall be glad if the Mercury, with
its usual independence, speaks out on
this highly important subject"


Still another practitioner, to whom a
digest OF the foregoing views was con-
veyed. said: 81 have no doubt that
| these elevations are peTniciOus, and in
the long run constitute a well defined
group of symptoms of morbid conditions.
The distinctive functions of the brain
are too much excited by this vague ap
prehensive horror. 1t has too much
thought to digest-tO borrow an illustra-
tion from the stomach; and / have no
doubt that high bull ings have direct
influence on the statistics of drunkenness
as we'll as insanity."-M Y. Mercury.