American nervousness, its causes and consequences; a supplement to Nervous exhaustion (neurasthenia)

Front matter

Cornell University Library

The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.

Chapter I

What it is not — The Maine Jumpers — Nervousness is Nervelessness — A lack of Nerve- force — Symptoms of Nervous Exhaustion — Nervous Bankruptcy — Reserve Force needed — Why American Nerv ousness ^Nervousness distinguishedTrom Organic Disease 1-17

Chapter II. Signs Of Ambmcan Nervousness

Principles of evidence to be applied in the study of this subject — Statistics of little value — Functional Diseases not fatal — Nervousness vs. Longevity — Increase of the Nervous Diathesis — The Nervous Diathesis — Increased Susceptibility to Stimulants and Narcotics — English vs. American Drinking — English Drinking Capacity — Temperance a Modern Virtue — Inebriety — Smoking — Sensitiveness to Drugs — Thirstlessness — Indigestion — Relation of Indigestion to Nervousness — Sensitiveness of Digestion — Near-Sightedness — Weak Eyes — Americans Moderate Eaters — Increase of Near-Sightedness and Weakness of the Eyes — Early and Rapid Decay of the Teeth — Teeth of Savages — Premature Baldness — Sensitiveness to Heat and Cold — Evolution of Nervousness — Nervous Exhaustion (Neurasthenia) — Increase of Diseases not Distinctively Nervous — Diabetes and Bright'a Disease — Chronic Catarrhs — Catarrh of Nose and Throat — Sensitiveness to Medicines — Habit of taking Drugs — Relation of Nervousness to Beauty — American Beauty — American vs. English Female Beauty — American Muscle- Reading — Relation of Dress to Nervousness — Dentition,

XX CONTENTS.

Puberty, and Change of Life— Parturition, Nursing — Diseases of Women, Lacerations of tlie Womb and Perineum— Relation of AmericaaJOj.-aio.rjL_to_Ameii€an

TJaryniignpy-WBrvni-iaripas^nH Hlimor — PhilnSJOpTlY nf^- Arnerican Humor— The^ Ame rican Language — Nervousness and Lajnguage — Eapidity of Speech and Pitch of Voice— Greater Susceptibility to Trance in America — Change in Type of Disease — Diseases of Savages — Syphilis growing Milder — Nervousness Increased by Inheritance — Intensity of Animal Life in America 18-95

CHAPTER TIL

CATfSES OF AMBRICAH" NERVOUSNESS.

Civilization very limited in extent — Analogy of the Electric Light — Analogy of the Steam Engine— Necessary Evils of Specialization — Clocks and Watches — Necessity of Punctuality — The Telegraph — Effect of Noise on the Nerves — Disagreeable Odors — New York Elevated Road ^Railway Travelling and Nervousness — Rapid Development and Acceptance of New Ideas — Increase in Amount of Business in Modern Times — Buying on a, Margin -iis. Gambling — Increased Capacity for Sorrow — . Love and Philanthropy — Repression of Emotion — Domestic and Financial Trouble — Politics and Religion — Liberty as a Cause of Nervousness — Elections — P rotestantisms — Anxiety and Insanity-^^vils of Forethought — Indian Indifference — Comparative Size of the Ancient and Modern World — Activity of the Modern World — Life in Ancient Athens and New York Contrasted— Greece vs.

America — Climate — Extremes of Heat and Cold No

Summer in England — Mildness of the English Winter

Dryness of the Air— Rocky Mountain Region— Dryness and Electricity— High Temperature of Houses— How Dry

Air Causes Nervousness— Moisture of England Out-door

Life of English— The Late Season— Chorographic Map of the United States— Less Nervousness South — Climate of America Compared with that of Japan — Differences in American Climate— Nervousness in the W est — Clitnoto^ Contrasted — Tropical and Sub-Tropical Climate Con.

CONTENTS. XXI

trasted with the Climate of the United States — Caprice of Southern Climate — Severity of this Season— Kecapitulation of Causes of Nervous Exhaustion — Modem Civilization — Climate — Race — The Nervous Diathesis — Exciting Causes — Nervousness and Civilization— Tobacco and Eye Disease — Opium Eating in China — Opium Eating not always Injurious to the Chinese — Health and Habits of North American Indians — Physique of Wom an-in. the Savage__SUte — North m. South — The Problem can be Solved hy Studying this Continent alone — A Study of Sout hern Negroes — Comparative Physique of East and West— East m. West— Australia 96-193

Chapter IV. Longevity Op Beain-woekeks, And The Relation Of Age To •wokk

Tlie Popular Belief a Delusion — Longevity,of Brain-Workers -, — Difficulties in the Investigation— Hj reat Longevitv of G reat Men — Comparative Longevity — Causes of Great Longevity of Brain- Workers — Brain- Workers have less Worry — Brain-workers have more Comforts — Nervousness favors Longevity — -Brain-Workers Easier in Old Age— Eelation of Age to Work, Reputation, and Ability — Force vs. Results of Force-J'Original and Routine Work — Replies to Criticisms — Method of Investigation — Number and Quality of Biographies Consulted — Results of the Investigation — The Golden Decade — Apparent and Real Exceptions to the Average — Old Age of Artists — Old Age Imitates Itself — Childhood and Old Age but Imitators — ■ Application of the Law to Animals and Plants — Unpopularity of these Truths — Moral Decline and Happiness in Old Age — Compensations of Age — Comparative Longevity of the Professions — Longevity of the Precocious — Moral ns. Morbid.Precocity — The Great Longevity of Cllrgymen — Causes of the Exceptional Longevity of Clergymen— Consolation for t he Nervous — Natural History of the Nervous — Cycles of Debility — Nervousness a, Constant Warning — Healthy Old Age^Recent_Pxo.gj:fisa,Jji_±he Treatment of Nervous Diseases 193-391

XXii CONTENTS.