_'!)() TllK .\KK\olS S^STKM AM) ITS ( '< ).\SI ;|{\ AT1ON 



lest some other mailer should have had the precedence. 

 The -ense of bem' pressed by numerous concerns of nearly 

 equal urgency is probably a root of much evil in the life 

 of the "careful and troubled" housewife. 



The clash of antipathetic personalities is a most serious 

 element amoiiii the causes of nerve-fajj. It is one which 

 become- steadily more potent for injury when a certain 

 measure of fatigue has arrived, for added irritability mean.- 

 more and more u;rievous friction. It is a rare family in 

 which the atmosphere is not improved by teinjMtrary sepa- 

 ration of th' house-mates. The entertaining of visitors 

 serves a a;ood purpose when the guests absorb attention 

 thai would otherwise be bestowed exclusively upon 

 members of the home circle and in a critical spirit. It is a 

 lamentable fact that in most families there is more restraint 

 in speech and more consideration in conduct when out- 

 siders are present; this suiiuvsts another valuable service 

 rendered by company. Neurasthenia is, in a certain sense, 

 a contagious disease: one case fully developed may liive 

 rise to others, though the secondary ones are ordinarily 

 less severe. 



Some one has shrewdly pointed out that one fruitful 

 source of mischief in the nervous -y-tcm consists in what 

 may be succinctly described as not mindin.u; one's own 

 business. People easily fall into the habit of fretting over 

 the beliefs and 1 he behavior of their associates in matters 

 in which individual liberty ou;j,ht to be respected. Anion' 

 the uneducated ihis results in the attempt to dictate, and 

 Futile contention follows. Higher in the -ocial scale a man 

 or woman who commits this error may not be so aii^ressive, 

 I nit will brood unhappily over the principles or actions held 

 in such stroll"' disapproval. It H much better not to be 

 the "brother's keeper" unless the interest is clearly philan- 

 thropic. \\liy should a man distress himself because a 

 fellow-beinu' is fond of chee-e, which he does not like? 

 or lioe- to church, which he doe- not wish to do? It is 

 -oiind hygiene to live and let live. The world, indeed, 

 needs reformers, but their (ask is one which calls for so 



