440 THE TREATMENT OF DISEASES. 



he suddenly throws off his quiet habit for more active physical work. The mason 

 and the blacksmith toil with ease for a period quite impossible to the uninitiated ; 

 but, set the mason on horseback, and the blacksmith to do duty as a hod-carrier, and 

 they will both complain of stiffness, or muscular pain, on the next day. 



As long as the relation between the work to be done and the power to do it 

 remains the same, the exertion of the muscles may not be excessive, but whenever 

 muscles weakened or reduced in power are obliged to do the same work as when 

 they were strong, the exertion they put forth is excessive for them, the severity of 

 the exertion being in proportion to their weakness. 



It is astonishing how quickly, and by what apparently trivial circumstances, 

 a man of even herculean powers may be "pulled down." A strong cigar or a pipe 

 will in a few minutes reduce a person who is unaccustomed to the use of the " weed " 

 to a condition of complete prostration. Fright will in an instant deprive a person 

 of all power of motion, his tongue will cleave to the roof of the mouth, and he may 

 be unable to articulate a word or even utter a sound. Most people know how quickly 

 a sharp attack of diarrhoea " takes it out of one." A blue-pill and a black draught 

 may in a few hours reduce the lion-hearted Richard to the level of the very lowest 

 of the Saracen soldiery. 



When one is out of health everything seems a trouble, and every little exertion 

 gives rise to pain in the muscles. When we are well we can support the head, 

 and keep ourselves erect all day long without fatigue ; but directly we are debili- 

 tated in any way we feel the exertion, and are glad to seek the friendly support of 

 the sofa or arm-chair. We all know how heavy the eyelids seem when we are tired, 

 and how difficult it then is from fatigue of the muscles to keep them open. Difficulties 

 seem to increase as we become less able to cope with them. There is an old Spanish 

 proverb which says that, " If you carry a lamb all day, it will become a sheep at 

 night." It costs us no suffering while we are well to perform the ordinary work of 

 the day ; but when illness has reduced our powers, when a refractory stomach has 

 refused the necessary supplies of food, or when we have been brought low by acci- 

 dents, loss of blood, diarrhoea, hunger, or other cause, we find the exertion excessive, 

 and we suffer from pain in the muscles. As long as the school-girl is healthy and 

 strong she can sit erect for hours, and at the end of the day feel weary only ; but 

 as the influence of sedentary life, mental exertion, deficient appetite and digestion, 

 a crowded sleeping apartment and schoolroom begin to be felt, the weariness becomes 

 painfulness, and she is no longer fatigued, but is suffering. 



There is scarcely any part of the body which may not be the seat of muscular 

 pains, for they are to be met with wherever there are muscles or sinews. Some 

 parts are, however, more frequently attacked than others the trunk more commonly 

 than the extremities, the abdominal walls oftener than those of the chest, and the 

 legs more constantly than the arms. The pain may be felt between the shoulders, 

 at the back of the neck, over the blade-bone, in the back, and in many other regions. 

 Women very frequently suffer from a muscular pain under the left breast. It is 

 sometimes situated on the right side, and is occasionally met with on both. The 

 sufferings it involves are often very severe, and it is not unfrequently supposed by 

 the patient to be a symptom of some very serious disease. Pregnant women often 



