THE BIOLOGY OF HEALTH 151 



The brain-cells of a hive-bee at the end of a long 

 day show structural changes as the result of fatigue. 

 Food and rest stave off the inevitable consequences for 

 days, but soon the cell becomes irrecoverably fatigued. 

 With all its getting, the bee gets not wisdom, but fool- 

 ishness. So with ourselves, a using up of vital material 

 which is not compensated for by the renewal which 

 comes in repose and sleep, results in neurasthenia. 

 The brain is fagged ; impressions are dull ; we don't 

 take in what we read ; doors banged as they never 

 banged before and our shoe-lace is always brealdng ; 

 things go all wrong ; we hear what we were not meant 

 to hear ; we don't sleep well ; every one is against us — 

 even the cocks crowing in the morning are in the con- 

 spiracy. That is the beginning of fatigue disease, 

 The moral is, nip it in the hud. 



Fatigue is often due to over-eating, over-drinking, 

 over-smoking, and the like, but there is a real indus- 

 trial fatigue which follows from over-strain. It is cer- 

 tain that beyond an uncertain limit this fatigue lessens 

 the quality of the work, maizes the body less resistant 

 to disease, and suggests the use of injurious ways of 

 getting rid of the oppression of over-tiredness. It is 

 in the interests of employers and workmen alike to 

 find out the limits of safety for the organism's health, 

 the limits consonant with good citizenship, and the 

 limits admitting of the best workmanship. Where the 

 work cannot but be hard, the alleviations of good air, 

 plenty of light, convenient meals, and lightsome 

 change must be tried and are being tried. (See Lord 



