Canadian Practitioner Volume 13 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 Excerpt: ...of resting. The memory is often temporarily weakened; consecutive thinking, intense attention, or sustained mental activity of any kind, is found to be impossible, even when there is no muscular fatigue. It is at this stage, when insomnia is complained of, usually to be followed by mental depression and by distressing forebodings of some impending calamity, which they cannot define. It is a general sense of ill-being and ill-happening. It is common to both sexes, but is more common in the male sex. A frequent mistake is made by medical men in attempting to lecture such patients out of their notions about themselves. This will only deepen the morbidity and intensify the evil. It is best to accept the evil as a fact, but to raise hopes for the future in a sunshiny way. This is mental therapeutics. No two cases can be treated alike. If it is a case merely of brain exhaustion, then our main reliance must be upon vigorous out-door exercise and light mental exertion. The muscular and organic life can do much through activity in bracing up the nerve centres. If we have an anaemic case, or one in which there is evidently exhaustion of the cord, especially in chlorotic women, then absolute rest and quiet are indicated. Digestive power and hygiene are our auxiliaries. I am a great believer in the "gospel of fatness," or alimentation--not overfeeding, but what the system can fully assimilate. It is nerve nutrition which we have to do with, hence the necessary pabulum must be provided. Such usually recover but gradually, and so slowly as to discourage patient, friends and physician. The fact is, that all nerve deterioration needs a protracted time to recuperate, and it is well to set out in treatment with this understanding by all, that this depressing condit...