MENTAL OVER-WOKK AMONG PUBLIC MEN. 66 



life is less in this country than in England. Politics here is not, 

 as there, in the best sense a vocation ; and our public men in many 

 cases succumb in health, or fail to attain long life, because they 

 go into careers unprepared by inheritance, education, and training 

 for the severe demands to be made upon their powers. 



3. Health and life are sometimes lost through forgetfulness of 

 the fact that mental strain and over-work are particularly danger- 

 ous to those in middle life or advanced in years who attempt brain 

 work and responsibilities to which they have not been accustomed. 

 The ejSects of suddenly-imposed mental strain upon these classes are 

 especially disastrous. 



4. If not subjected to unusual mental or physical strain, public 

 and professional men, as well as those in other walks of life, although 

 afflicted with organic diseases, may live in comparative comfort, and 

 be able to do a moderate amount of work for many years. 



5. Among special causes of premature disease in public life are 

 onerous and perplexing duties on Congressional Committees, the 

 uncertainties and disappointments attendant upon public positions, 

 the great strain to which candidates are subjected during jwlitical 

 campaigns, lack of recreation, and social excesses and abuses at 

 the National Capital. 



6. Among physicians, lawyers, and journalists the performance 

 of brain work under pressure for time, and under bad hygienic 

 conditions, is a common cause of ill health. Defective education 

 and p3cuniary harassments are also special causes of nervous l)reak- 

 down and premature disease among physicians and lawyers. 



7. Compai'atively few clergymen succumb completely to mental 

 over-work, although many suffer from a mild but annoying form of 

 neurasthenia. 



8. The danger to the scientific worker usually arises from too in- 

 tense and too prolouged activity of the mind in one direction. It 

 is a danger which springs largely from the fascination which such 

 work has for its votaries. 



9. The system of severe competitive examinations in vogue in 



