The Counting House. "BREAKING UP."

Otago Witness, Issue 1242, 18 September 1875, Page 3

The Counting House. "BREAKING UP."

Ever one, especially in towns, knows what the term "breaking up" means, as applied to hard-working literary men, professional men, some men in business and people in general, who use their brains to make their bread, "Poor So-and-so is breaking up," we say, and shake our heads. The fact is. poor So-and-so has become prematurely aged, in little over tliree months. There can be no greater or more fatal mistake made, than that of overworking one's brains. It is infinitely better and wiser to do a small portion of work, and do it well, than to force the brain against its will and power. Shortening of life is the inevitable result of such a course. A certain proportion of brain excitement, or mental labour, is actually necessary to maintain the health of any one, and especially of authors, playwrights, and poets, who are almost invariably of the nervous temperament, as distinguished from the lymphatic; but thia should never be over-done, and should in every case be followed by a due proportion, first of healthful exercise, and secondly of natural sleep. The very first symptom of this state of "breaking up," is some degree of unnatural lassitude and weariness, after or during work, m the study or countinghouse. He is a wise man who does not disregard this ; but the fool flies to stimulants, and instead of a long walk in the park, or a run up the river, or a few miles by tram into the country, he drinks brown sherry, or brandy and water, or, by way of a little relaxation (]), shuts himself up m a close theatre, and breathes carbonic acxd and exhalations. No wonder if he commences work the next morning with tired frame and burning eyeballs. The next symptom of "breaking up," and a far more serious one, is sleeplessness. This comes on very gradually and insidiously. Some very temperate men will tell you that they allow themselves iusfc one glass of "grog" and a pipe, before turning in, and they "sleep all the better tor it. I don t mind about the pipe, but I tell you that any man who has to depend upon spirits to procure him sleep, has already one foot on the Aven ian ladderis diseased, in fact, in the first degree. The first symptoms are invariably disregarded. Although the patient-he would not care to be called a patient, by-the-by— feels that he is not altogether right, still he writes on, and fights on, and promisee himself a little change, some day soon. Alas ! how seldom that " some day comes.— A Physician, in Outsell.