Neurasthenia / Tr. from the 3d French ed. by P. Campbell Smith.

  • Ballet, Gilbert, 1853-1916.
Date:
1911
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Neurasthenia / Tr. from the 3d French ed. by P. Campbell Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    exhaustion. But the term over brain-pressure is vague, because it is too comprehensive. It is evi- dent that the brain may be subjected in many ways to over-pressure, and as among the modes of cere- bral activity there are some peculiarly apt to pro- duce neurasthenia, it is necessary, in order to de- fine precisely the role of mental over-pressure in the genesis of the affection we are considering, to group the cases in natural categories and to ex- amine them separately. From our present point of view it is convenient to consider the effects of over brain-pressure in the sphere of the intellec- tual faculties and in that of the emotions. Excess of Intellectual Work.—It is certain that intense or too prolonged intellectual work may give rise even in an energetic and well-balanced man to symptoms of a neurasthenic nature, such as insomnia, dyspepsia, persistent headache, etc. Great workers, scholars, scientists, literary men, and young people preparing for examinations often fall at the time of professional competitions,1 after a period of excessive toil, into a state of cerebral depression, mingled with some symptoms of excitement, which compels them to interrupt their exertions. But in general the forms of neurasthenia that develop under these conditions are neither persistent nor grave. Some days of rest, a stay in the country, or a short hydrothera- 1Tbat is, competitive examinations for entry into special training schools or public functions. There are many more of these ic France than in England.—Trans.