320 THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 



massage. Other means for accomplishing the object of 

 diverting the blood from the brain will occur to one who 

 gives t-he subject thought. 



A sleeping room should be well ventilated, dark, and 

 quiet, the bed not too soft, nor the covering too abundant. 

 A habit of going to sleep may be cultivated by lying 

 down only at times when one wishes to sleep. By the 

 laws of association the reclining posture will come to aid 

 in inducing the cerebral condition desired. 



467 " Overwork." It is common to attribute most of 

 the nervous disorders of our time to the overtaxing of the 

 brain and nerves in business or study, or to excessive 

 strain of the nervous system from anxiety or care. No 

 doubt such cases occur, but other causes are far more 

 prolific than these. The nervous system seems to be 

 constructed to last as long as it receives nourishment 

 enough and is allowed sleep enough. Among students 

 there occur frequent cases of nervous derangement which 

 could be traced, if all the facts were known, to causes 

 other than overstudy. To keep a brain in health it must 

 be used. Even severe mental application is promotive of 

 health if practiced under healthful conditions. A student 

 may break down because he uses his brain without taking 

 sufficient sleep, exercise, and food to keep it in good con- 

 dition, or fails properly to vary the kind of mental effort ; 

 but if he follows the various suggestions upon these points 

 given in this book, he can hardly do so. There is no 

 patent "brain food" which will supply the nerve cells 

 with nutriment for their activities if it does not also build 

 up all the other organs. The human life is one life. If 

 one member suffers, all the members suffer. One cannot 

 cultivate the brain into vigorous health while neglecting 

 or abusing the stomach, the lungs, and other organs. 



