1887.] NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 119 



of the rapidity with which the nerves and brain are urged into action 

 by the will, and that^the time required for refreshment is many 

 times greater than that required for total exhaustion, we can 

 appreciate at once the fatal effects of what is called over-work. 



In no country in the world probably do we find such utter dis- 

 regard of the rational uses of the brain and nerves as in our 

 own. Partly from necessity, and partly from habits and cus- 

 toms of living, work is accomplished here with a speed and 

 nervousness that constantly threatens exhaustion and permanent 

 injury to health. The necessary time and means for the refresh- 

 ment of these important functions are grudgingly given, and, 

 indeed, are generally looked upon as periods of improvident idle- 

 ness, a kind of self-indulgence which demands explanation, and 

 which is likely to be the subject of apologetic remarks or ill- 

 natured criticism. 



Most of us can remember the time when if a lawyer, or doctor, 

 or clergyman, or teacher, or banker, or any other of the hard 

 brain-workers, desired to find relaxation after a week or month 

 of toil, with his rod or gun, he felt that he must steal away 

 through back yards, or enter a closed carriage to get out of town 

 without being seen, lest he might be considered as encouraging' 

 idleness in others. 



When it is fully recognized that injury from over- work does 

 not come from patient plodding, constant industry with proper 

 means and intervals of rest, but from attempts to do too much 

 in too little time — from too rapid or too prolonged expenditure of 

 the powers of the brain and nerves, and from a total disregard of 

 the law of refreshment and rest, we shall find that success, 

 health, and enjoyment of life will be better assured. 



These laws and rules of rational labor are infringed volunta- 

 rily, though perhaps ignorantly, by multitudes who seek to attain 

 wealth or distinction, or who devote themselves too assiduously 

 to their various vocations. Not only does severe strain long 

 continued produce over-fatigue, but ordinary work continuously 

 repeated is often quite as trying in its effects. A distinguished 

 public man once told me the hardest work he had to do was to 

 sign his name repeatedly for hours together, as he was often 

 obliged to do. The merchant, the tradesman and tradeswoman. 



