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NATURE STUDIES. 



of hundreds of thousands the signs of actual mental 

 disease, nor in one case out of millions followed either 

 by acute mania or by apopletic seizure, as in the 

 exceptional cases dealt with by Dr. Forbes Winslow, 

 We propose hereafter briefly to consider soine of 

 the signs which show that the mind is temporarily 

 out of order, requiring rest, relaxation, or change of 

 employment. We may in some cases have to enforce 

 the lesson we wish to inculcate by citing cases in 

 which such symptoms have been followed by serious 

 mental disturbance ; but we wish at the outset to 

 persuade our readers that, in far the greater number 

 of cases, these signs suggest only the necessity for 

 ordinary precautions, not for medical advice or active 

 remedial measures. 



I. IMPAIRED MEMORY. 



The first mind trouble we propose to consider is 

 the apparent temporary impairment of the memory. 

 The gradual progressive decay of the power of 

 memory with advancing years is, of course, a change 

 which all may expect who attain great length of 

 years; though, as Cicero long since pointed out, and as 

 has been repeatedly exemplified by modern instances, 

 the change is to some degree under control, and 

 those matters in which an aged person takes special 

 interest may be well remembered, when others about 

 which he cares little are easily forgotten. " I never 

 heard," says Cicero, " of any old man that has forgotten 



