OLD AGE. 437 



announcement of the awards. If we coiild see all the changes incident to these 

 events, we should see what a mad system it is, and should understand how much 

 the dull are to be envied, rather than the successful and the nattered and 

 triumphant." With this opinion we cordially agree, and regret that a knowledge of 

 these facts is not more widely distributed. The symptoms of premature old age in 

 the adult are not difficult of recognition. They are in the main those of exhausted 

 nervous power, that is to say, general debility of the body, inability to walk even 

 short distances without fatigue, a feeling of languor and unwillingness for exertion 

 of any kind. In addition there are well-marked mental symptoms, and generally 

 some previously unnoticed peculiarity develops itself in the character of the affected 

 person. A man formerly generous and reticient may become intensely selfish and 

 garrulous. Without any apparent reason he takes likes and dislikes to those with 

 whom he is associated, especially to his best friends and nearest relatives, 

 whose motives he invariably insists on misunderstanding. He is subject to uncon- 

 trollable fits of moroseness and bad temper. A previously careful man becomes 

 unusually liberal, even extravagant. A man who all his life has been remarkable for 

 his modesty and retiring disposition puts off all reserve and makes himself intensely 

 disagreeable to everybody, or does something that astonishes beyond measure all who 

 know him. Not unfrequently in this condition there is an utter inability to fix the 

 attention on any one subject. Even in reading the thread of the story or argument 

 is lost. The memory becomes strangely defective, and is often so bad that when 

 the unfortunate patient leaves the room to go to another to fetch something, he has 

 quite forgotten all about it on his arrival there. You may find him, too, on his hands and 

 knees searching on the carpet for something he has just dropped ; ask him what he is 

 looking for and it is ten to one that he will not remember. Sometimes not only is 

 there an entire inability to arrange the ideas in order, but the judgment becomes 

 curiously perverted, a serious matter when the subject of this change holds a position 

 of trust and responsibility. Sometimes a remarkable indifference to veracity be- 

 comes manifest in persons previously noted for their truthfulness, and in others we 

 find a craving for strong liquors, which they find it well-nigh impossible to resist. 

 Often enough there is an undue excitability of the senses, the hearing for example, 

 becomes intensely acute, so that the noise of a door slamming in the street is almost 

 unbearable. Then the sight may become strangely impressionable, bright colours are 

 intensely disagreeable, scents are odious, and the taste is completely altered. 



There is only one treatment for the condition that we have described, and that 

 may be summed up in the one word, " rest." When a man is living too fast, when 

 he is suffering from constant worry and anxiety, when he is wearing himself to 

 pieces, there is only one thing for him to do, and that is to stop. It is of no use for 

 a man to say that it is impossible for him to pull up, for he must, or he will very 

 soon find that he will break down completely and entirely. A six weeks' holiday, 

 if taken in time, will often set a man on his legs again, and enable him to go on 

 with his work for months, or even years ; but should he fail to take Nature's 

 warning, she will have her revenge, and he may have to pay dearly for his temerity. 

 Sometimes something may be done in the way of obtaining a temporary change of 

 employment. For example, the over-worked doctor may get a travelling appointment 



