Human Depressants.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 878, 28 December 1888, Page 4

Human Depressants.

PIIRENOLOOICAL JOURNAL (U.S.) ’ Thero are persons so constituted by tomporarr.ent and mental organism that they exercise a depressing influence upon most of their associates. They have no magnetism, but rather a'negative, flabby spirit that seems to operate, speaking figuratively, much as a wet shoe does upon one who is compelled to wear it. They draw, draw, draw upon the nervous strength and exhaust the patience of those who are compelled to be much in their company. They are absorbent, never rendering any compensation for the vital energy whioh they exact. W e do not claim to be more sensitive than the average man who3e temperament is of tho mental-motive type, but we have met people who seemed to draw upon our resources, mental and physical, severely, and after an hour’s iuterview would leave us feeling more depressed and weary than we have felt after six hours’ tramping among the hills on an August day. A person of this negative, absorbent typo may not say oi do anything to whioh direct objection can be made j be may be well educated and as courteous as people wo esteem, but the moment he comes into our presence we are conscious of a change of atmosphere and an uncontrollable sense of repulsion rises to the surface. In some households we find one of the members who is like ‘ a wet blanket ’ to all the rest. The charge of ‘ a bad temper ’ may not be properly brought against him or her, but there is a subtle somethin'! in the manner and facial expression that is unpleasant to others, and of which the younger members of the family openly complain. ‘ I do wish you wouldn’t look at me, Aunt Hepsa.’ ‘ I don’t wish to Bit by Uncle Jabez, he makeß me so nervous.’ ‘I do wish Aunt Loisette would go and live somewhere else,’ ars protests that have been heard by parents from children in whose teaching ha 3 been included a goodly share of the principle of respect for their elders. The buoyanoy of youth under the perpetnal chill and menaoe of such' an unhappy nature as we have described must now and then rebel and find expression. We will not say that such an association constantly maintained is hurtful to the germinating nature of children, as the fact is too obvious, but we will say that the parents who know that suoh an unhealthful influence exists in their homes, should endeavour to,remove it, and prevent future trouble for themselves that may find maturity in estranged children and a ruined home. It is not easy to analyse the' depressing person, although temperament has evidently much more to do with his unfortunate habit than anything else. We usually find some organic weakness or disease associated with it, especially dyspepsia in one of its protean forms. The circulation Is poor in the external vessels, and the blood is wanted in that ardent stimulus that stirs up the higher organs of the brain. We think that cautiousness ia one of the most active faculties, while hopefulness and the

social nature are lacking in strength. The head of these negatives is usually found to be flat in the temples and rather narrow in the forehead; indicating want of imagination, of judgment, and little or no original discernment of the humorous side of things. They look upon life with Hodden face, take everything too Beriousiy, and have no sympathy for the gamesome or light-hearted-even in children. They have forgotten that they were children once themselves. It is the expression of unvoiced censure borne wherever they go that makes many of these people intolerable. One is reported as say ing to a friend, ‘ I don’t see why everybody eomplains of my manner. I’m sure that I’m never irritable, and try always not to say disagreeable things.’ ‘That :s true, 1 do not doubt,’ said the friend in reply, ‘ but you always look as if displeased with what you see around you and were thinking disagreeable things.’ To attempt to bring about an acceptable mental condition in these cases, if they are in .middle life, is well-nigh hopeless since they are accustomed to regard themselves as the injured parties, and the treatment they receive as unjust and cruel. Furthermore, they have gotten into the way of believing that their views of the world are correct, and that the people around them are perverse and foolish, sinners against propriety, and especially wanting in respect for them. They may not set themselves up as patterns of correct conduct, but they speak and act as if they were quite free from blame. Their condition is one of mental in-firmity—-a mild insanity—in which the moral faculties are the seat of the primary degeneration, the manifestations of sympathy, kindness, good-will; and good cheer being warped or suppressed. We have not found them set in any particular class by the alienists, but they are nevertheless of unsound mind, and society would be relieved of much annoyance and loss were they assigned a department in an asylum.