THE HUMAN MOTOR 



display great staying power, but he is not fit for exertions of 

 strength. The nervous type can sustain, however, a considerable 

 effort, provided that it does not last long ; this rapid exhaustion 

 is due to the double expenditure, muscular and nervous, especially 

 to the latter. The resistance of his organs of movement is not 

 very great. 



In considering the physical qualities of individuals we must 

 classify them according to their degree of intelligence and their 

 personal equation, and distinguish between naturally quick and 

 naturally slow workers. Satisfactory selection in industry means 

 that each individual shall be given that work which shall make 

 the best use of all his qualities, with a consequent increase in his 

 productive power. Increased output, however, should logically 

 bring a higher wage. 



163. Social Influences. Amongst the internal factors of human 

 activity can be included those which are derived from social 

 hygiene, namely: 1. The hygiene of the body, rational feeding, 

 prophylaxis, the well-being of the man from the physiological 

 point of view : 2. The hygiene and the development of the mind, 

 or, rather, the moral qualities of the worker, which are a result of 

 his well-being and his environment. The action of the social 

 environment is obvious; man is influenced by it, and he acquires 

 a tendency to do that which he sees others do, be it good or 

 bad. P) 



As solidarity becomes more and more the law of workmen's 

 organizations, the syndicates impose on all their adherents the 

 acceptance of long-studied tactics, in which the master insists 

 in seeing a real danger to his own interests. We are convinced, 

 on the contrary, that these interests agree with those of the 

 employers. The science of energy estimates exactly the daily 

 sacrifices of the workers and professional technics teach the 

 methods of increasing the human yield. Both demonstrate the 

 possibility of lowering the cost price of the unit of work, and con- 

 sequently of raising wages in a certain measure, or, of reducing 

 the day's work judiciously. Such is the result of the scientific 

 progress of the last few years (see Book VI., Chap. iv.). It would 

 be in vain to deny it and not to wish, by better conditions, for 

 the workmen to contribute to the necessary work of social 

 hygiene, which must result in justice, concord, and common 

 prosperity. 



Pilker, Die Grundgesetze des Neuro-Psych., Berlin, 1900. 



