Arsenic, iron, and other tonics are often valuable. In soTne cases high alti tudes are beneficial, owing to the creased activity and deep breathing pro duced and the improved nutrition that usually follows.
Value of reF,piratory exercises in the treatment of this and allied nervous conditions. Successful eases reported, not only in neurasthenia, but also in Sydenhant's chorea, habit chorea, hys terical tremors, and hysteria. Partial sueeess Ivas obtained in palsies of eere bral origin and in hysterical tremors. Failures were reeorded in almost every disease for which the exercises were tried. but organic diseases of the cord and paralysis agitans were treated with appreciable improvement. Overexertion must be carefully guarded against, and the regaining of voluntary control is the fundamental principle of respiratory ex ercises as a remedieal agent. The rhythm of the breathing shoilld be fre quently eliang,ed and only simple phys ical exercise combined with the respira tory. The exercise should be limited to the use of pulleys or dumbbells. J. IV. McC'onnell (Univ. of Penn. -Medical Bul letin. Mareh, 1903).
All disorders, primary or secondary, should be treated, those of the digestive apparatus particularly (see STOMACH, DISEASES OF), but in the majority of cases improvement of the general health causes disappearance of complications.
It is important in this class of cases to gain the patient's confidence and to recognize his infirmities rather than persuade him that many of them are imaginary-. Sympathy and considera tion gain for the physician the patient's confidence and insure his co-operation in the curative measures instituted.
Physical tr....,atment of neurasthenia, chiefly consisting in helping the patient to master the disease by exerting his • reason and his will, recommended. The mental state may likewise be influenced, apart from the direct intervention of his own will, by the hypnotic method. Certain drugs, such as digitalis and iron, become very useful through suggestion, and at once produce a marked effect.
James J. Putman (Boston Med. and Surg. Jour., May 23, '95).
It is almost axiomatic that 'an alti tude of over 2000 feet. unsuil able for the neurasthenically-disposed or conva lescent patient. Any very "slimulating" climate should be avoided. Other condi tions to he avoided arc as follow: Dis tricts menaeed by high winds and fn. (pent fogs.,. cloudy, saturatNl atmos pheres with but slight movements of air currents; low eonntry (sea-level) with continuous, non-varying, although mod ) tat( . kat, as mherc the offecls of the •titant is strongly felt. Thus the 11) rintat Islands and Florida are ener I 'tin., loialities.
1,1).11 conditions for the neurasthenic huh] le sea-air in a well-wooded country. f.ir ) nongli from the coast to avoid its togs. .\ sea voyage is, as a rule. an excellent preliminary to other climatic measures. Provided the oyage is not stormy. it acts both psyehically and hysically in soothing the nervous sys t cm.
lit order to obtain the full benefit of correct climatic conditions the patient must have good food. 'Without this im portant adjunct the desirable climatic change may be entirely defeated in its etTect on the patient. F. Savary Pearce (Med. News, Jan. 26, 1901).
The vibrations of the red rays being slower than those of other rays of the solar spectrum, they have a sedative ef fect upon the nervous system, and are especially adapted to conditions of hy perfesthesia such as exist in the neuras tbenie, giving rise to the various neu ralgia, of such patients. tiireulatory disturbanccs, depending for thc most part upon the vasomotor nerves, are modified by the trophie influence of lig:lit, especially of the red rays. Fi vally, exposure to lig,lit-rays relieves thc general depression by increasing appetite and digc!,ti.n and improving the general nutrition as observed in personal eases. 1'. Joire (Le Nord 1\IC.d., April 15, 1902).