NEURITIS 



4131 



NEUTRALITY 



etc. The excessive use of tea and coffee is a 

 common cause of neurasthenia. The disorder is 

 so common in the United States that it is some- 

 times called the Ann rican disease. The neu- 

 ra-thenic worries continually, is exceedingly 

 self-centered and often suffers from inability to 

 sleep, indigestion and poor circulation. The 

 sufferer is also given to undue depression or 

 tement and is likely to be overemotional. 

 There is often fear which takes a peculiar form, 

 as fright at being in enclosed places, fear of 

 Is. fear of being alone or fear of falling; 

 or, at times, continual brooding will affect one 

 special function and the patient will think him- 

 self unable to talk, unable to hear, etc. It 

 sometimes develops in overindulged, weak- 

 willed children, and as a result of severe shock. 

 Rest, the abandonment of wasteful habits, such 

 as the use of stimulants of any kind, relief from 

 worry and hygienic living will cure it in its 

 earlier stages, but seriously-developed cases re- 

 quire the services of a specialist. 



NEURITIS, nuri'tis, a disease of the nerves 

 which occurs in two forms, localized and mul- 

 . Localized neuritis may result from ex- 

 posure to cold or from injury to a nerve, such 

 as pressure from a dislocated joint. Slight at- 

 tacks may last but a few days, but more severe 

 cases sometimes endure for months or years. 

 Severe pain along the path of the affected nerve 

 i> the first symptom, accompanied by tender- 

 ness in the muscles through which the nerve is 

 ibuted. A long-standing case of localized 

 neuritis will cause numbness and wasting of the 

 muscles, and if the arms and hands are affected 

 patient becomes almost helpless. Multiple 

 itifl i- .-OHM times caused by infection from 

 '>us diseases or by lead and other forms of 

 mug, but the most common source of the 

 is excessive use of alcoholic liquors, 

 symptoms of multiple neuritis include 

 pain in the head, back and legs, serious 

 inn. iit of the power to use the arms and 

 : the muscles and, incase of alco- 

 hol i delirium and convulsions. All 

 eases require the attention of a reliable ph\ -i- 



s.i .H. 



NEUROPTERA, nnmp'tha, from two 



k words in- .iniim ' rrr and is an 



r of insects whose di>tingui-hmg character- 



a are th : I wings, biting or 



ing mouth parN ami coin] ,-lop- 



it from the lanal to th adult stage (see 



According to modern elassi- 



is now divided into H 



families, which show great variation in struct ure 



and habit. Representative of the Neuroptcru 

 are the alder fly, fish fly, ant lion and dohson 

 fly. The May fly. stone fly and dragon fly, for- 

 merly included in the order, are now considered 

 as forming separate orders. Nearly all mem: 

 of the order Neuroptera live on the land in im- 

 mature and adult stages, but the larvae of a 

 few forms are aquatic. See INSECT. 



NEUROSIS, nuro'sis (plural neuroses), a 

 Latin word form from a Greek word, neuron, 

 meaning nerve. The term is applied to nervous 

 disorders which do not originate in a wound or 

 in a disease which changes the physical struc- 

 ture. Neuroses generally arise from a bad state 

 of mind a morbid mental condition which re- 

 acts on the health of the patient. People of im- 

 aginative, oversensitive or hysterical tempera- 

 ment are most apt to develop the malady. Drugs 

 are of no value, except such as may calm the 

 patient. The treatment is entirely mental, per- 

 formed by appealing to the sufferer's reason, and 

 encouraging him to regain self-control. There 

 is also occupational neurosis, such as writer's 

 cramp, which is marked by numbness and ina- 

 bility to write. It is brought on by muscle fa- 

 tigue in persons of nervous temperament. 



The term is used in psychology and physi- 

 ology to denote the neural processes which are 

 believed to be correlated with all mental proc- 

 esses. It is the view to-day that there can be 

 no mental act that is not associated with a 

 nerve process. See NEUROTIC, below. 



NEUROTIC, nurot'ik, from the Greek 

 in i iron, meaning nerve, is a word which origi- 

 nally had the same meaning as nervous. How- 

 ever, it now has come to have a more specific 

 significance, being used to describe a person suf- 

 fering from some nervous disturbance, such as 

 hysteria, or one who is of a highly nervous tem- 

 perament. 



Until recently neurotic was used in medicine 

 to designate drugs which affect the brain cen- 

 ters which govern intellect, sensibility and 

 movement. Alcohol, strychnine and opium are 

 e\a tuples of neurotic drugs. See NEUROSIS. 



NEUTRALITY, nittral'iti. When two or 

 mon- nations engage in WET, other nations that 

 decide to t:tke no part in the conflict hut to 

 conduct themselves j ( ) that tlu-y can retain the 

 -.d-hip of the warring powers, are called 

 JK utral nations. The condition which exists 

 under such circumstances is spoken of as neu- 

 trality. Neutral nations, however rtain 

 duties which they must perform if they desire 

 to be regarded as neutral, and they are entitled 

 to certain rights, which must be granted them 



