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who do not. In a general way I can divide iny cases (whether active 

 minded or not) into four groups according to their ill health. 



(a) Catarrh Victims, especially those subject to common colds and 

 sore throat accompanied by disturbance in temperature, febrile condition, 

 with more or less "fever fantasy,'' when all sorts of thoughts rush through 

 the mind. If the individual is a writer and not too ill he may jot down 

 some of these thoughts and utilize them. In some a recumbent position 

 is an additional stimulating factor, and. indeed, people in health can 

 often think best when reclining. One of my friends explained it by saying : 

 "The pressure is equalized when lying down, there is less blood in the 

 feet and more in the brain." 



Catarrh victims may or may not be cheerfully excited — those in- 

 fected with tuberculosis may be very cheerful and hopeful, the opposite 

 of the next. 



(b) Dyspeptics as we all know are usually pessimistic. One of my 

 friends has said : "Beware of the literary critic who has dyspepsia or 

 an acute dyspeptic attack, for he will see nothing to praise in your work 

 or effort; all is gloom to him and mankind is going to the bow-wows." 

 The depressed mental state may not last long in an acute attack, just as in 

 the case of the boy who has colic from eating green apples, who thinks 

 he is going to die, although he will be as well as usual the next day. 



(c) So-called neurasthenics, known also as neurotics, and "the nerv- 

 ous." As a rule this class reacts acutely to environmental influences, and 

 at night there may be insomnia with the mind actively at work. As to 

 actual work, individuals vary greatly. Many have large thoughts but 

 produce little ; some are simply regarded as dreamers. What is com- 

 monly regarded as brain tire may really be motor tire ; the brain is 

 active enough, but there is no desire or little inclination for physical ex- 

 ertion necessary to write out the thoughts — a mental overstimulation with 

 a motor paralysis, so to speak. 



I have notes on one case, a man who would ordinarily be regarded as 

 a neurasthenic, who dreams much and gets new ideas in his dreams, jot- 

 ting them down in the dark at night, in bed. But frequently he finds in 

 the morning that he has no notes, for, after a dream that he wants to 

 record, he dreams further that he is recording it or has made an entry 

 on his scratch tablet, and then sleeps on ; all has been a dream. Sometimes 

 on awakening he retains an indistinct idea of the dream which he wanted 

 to record. 



