America's Unlearned A B C

1895

Our holidays in this country are practically limited to two — the Fourth of July in summer and Christmas day in winter — writes Edward W. Bok in an earnest plea for more rest and recreation for the people of this nation in The Ladies' Home Journal.

While other holidays are more or less generally observed, as conditions make it possible, "the Fourth" and Christmas are essentially the great leisure days of the American people, when every one who can takes a holiday. It is a fact to be deplored that as a nation we have not more holidays that are really observed, but this is because as a people we have yet to learn how to rest.

That we will learn the lesson is unquestionable. Our national health will drive us to it, even if our judgment temporarily halts. The comfort of real living is something of which we in America as yet do not know the simple A B C. Some day we will wake up, cease this everlasting strife for the dollar, be content with what we have rather than reach out for more, take things a little easier, and we shall be a happier and a healthier people, but until we do reach this point we should wisely enjoy the few holidays we choose to recognize.

Green Not Restful to the Eyes

1901

It seems as though cherished notions were no sooner on an apparently firm foundation than some inconsiderate iconoclast comes along and throws them down. People have for many years supposed that the color green was restful to human eyes and have been referred to the green grass and green foliage that nature has been so prodigal with for the benefit of weaned vision.

Now, according to a German professor of Berlin, nature wasn't thinking of human eyes when she made her profuse verdant display and that her color scheme was carried out absolutely regardless of the visual needs of humanity. He says that green does not protect the eye, and he denies that it has any beneficial effects whatever.

He declares that green paper, green shades, green glasses, green decorations and green umbrellas are all a mistake and that by increasing the green light we are simply provoking a nervous disturbance.

He says that each of the colors tires a different set of nerves of vision, and therefore looking at one particular color saves one set of nerves at the expense of another. The best method he says, is to dim all of the rays of light by smoked or gray glasses, which rest all of the optic nerves. — New York Herald.

Doctors Who Die Early

1906

The Principal Cause Is Said to Be Excessive Nervous Expenditure in Practice

The diseases which claim the most victims among physicians relatively to all males are gout and diabetes, and there is a high relative mortality from diseases of the nervous system, circulatory system and kidneys, says American Medicine.

From the nature of his habits the physician is not subject to accidents, and, though he is brought into contact with infection to a greater extent than other men, his preventive means are successful and his mortality from infection is very low. Freedom from prolonged muscular strains and high blood tension apparently saves him from arteriosclerosis, but suicide claims many, and so do the drug habits acquired by the nervously exhausted. It has been said that three-fourths of French morphine users are physicians.

The cause of the physician's early death is evidently the excessive nervous expenditure, insufficient rest and defective nutrition, inseparable from his calling, with its broken and restricted sleep, irregular hours of work, rest and meals, the worry when lives depend upon his judgment and the lack of a day of complete relaxation in each week. The physician who sees his patients every day in the week month after month and cannot learn to forget them when he goes home, merely burns the candle at both ends. He violates the law obeyed by every other animal, that there shall be short periods of moderate exertion interrupted by longer periods of rest when repairs are made. It is not too much work as a rule, but scattered work which prevents rest.

Help for Nervous Women

1901

How Rest and Relaxation May Be Gained for Tired Bodies

Dr. John Mitchell, in Harper's Bazar: When you are asleep, it is to be hoped that you are still. Few people are when they are awake. If one observes the crowd in the streets, it is curious and most disagreeable to see how small the number is who are not constantly making grimaces and working their faces or jaws in some manner. I have heard it said it was bashfulness that caused this, but it has not been my observation that bashfulness was so widely distributed an American trait; besides, how does twisting the face help to keep one in countenance? No, it is not bashfulness; it is misdirected nervous energy, which ought to be aiding the movements of their legs or getting stored up somewhere in the central nervous reservoirs for future use.

Learn to keep still when you rest; when you move, move with the part of the body needed; do not waste your force by walking with your arms and face, as well as with your legs. If circumstances force an unusual and fatiguing amount of exertion upon you, break it down and then by periods of absolute rest. No matter how brief they are, they will be useful if you make them complete and perfect, as well as bodily exertion. A minute or two minutes of quiet, with closed eyes if possible, with your tension relaxed and the gearing of the machinery thrown off for the moment, will help and refresh you greatly. Here, again, more may be gained if the ability to relax mentally can be secured, in a fashion similar to the withdrawing of muscular tension. Learn to empty your mind when not using it.