Thoughts on Nervous Disorders 1. WHEN Physicians meet with disorders which they do not understand, they commonly term them nervous ; a word that conveys to us no determinate idea, but it is a good cover for learned ignorance. But these are often no natural disorder of the body, but the hand of God upon the soul, being a dull consciousness of the want of God, and the unsatisfactoriness of everything here below. At other times it is conviction of sin, either in a higher or a lower degree. It is no wonder that those who are strangers to religion should not know what to make of this; and that, consequently, all their prescriptions should be useless, seeing they quite mistake the case. 2. But undoubtedly there are nervous disorders which are purely natural. Many of these are connected with other diseases, whether acute or chronical. Many are the fore runners of various distempers, and many the consequences of then. But there arc those which are not connected with others, being themselves a distinct, original distemper. And this frequently ariscs to such a height, that it seems to be one species of madness. So, one man imagines himself to be made of glass; another thinks he is too tall to go in at the door. This is often termed the spleen, or vapours; often, lowness of spirits; a phrase that, having scarce any meaning, is so much the fitter to be given to this unintelligible disorder. It seems to have taken its risc from hence: We sometimes say, "A man is in high spirits;" and the proper opposite to this is, "He is low-spirited." Does not this imply, that a kind of faintness, wearincss, and listlessness affects the whole body, so that he is disinclined to any motion, and hardly cares to move hand or foot? But the mind seems chiefly to be affected, having lost its relish of everything, and being no longer capable of enjoying the things it once delighted in most. Nay, everything round about is not only flat and insipid, but dreary and uncomfortable.

Nay, everything round about is not only flat and insipid, but dreary and uncomfortable. It is not strange if, to one in this state, life itself is become a burden; yea, so insupportable a burden, that many who have all this world can give, desperately rush into an unknown world, rather than bear it any longer. 3. But what are the causes of this strange disorder? One cause is, the use of spirituous liquors. This is one of the horrid effects which naturally follow the swallowing that fashionable poison. That liquid fire lays the foundation of numberless diseases, and of this in particular. It is amazing that the preparing or selling this poison should be permitted (I will not say in any Christian country, but) in any civilized state. "O, it brings in a considerable sum of money to Government." True; but is it wise to barter men's lives for money? Surely, that gold is bought too dear, if it is the price of blood. Does not the strength of every country consist in the number of its inhabitants? If so, the lessening their number is a loss which no money can compensate. So that it is inexcusable ill husbandry, to give the lives of useful men for any sum of money whatever. 4. But a more extcnsive cause of this disorder than the use of drams, I apprehend, is the use of tea; particularly where it is taken either in large quantities, or strong, or without cream and sugar. "Nay, weak tea is far more hurtful." This is a senseless, shameless falsehood. I long drank hot sugar-and-water instead of tea; and it did me no hurt at all. But three cups of strong tea will now make my hand shake, so that I can hardly write. And let any try the experiment: If any tea make his hand shake, it will not be weak tea, but strong. This has exceedingly increased the number of nervous complaints throughout the three kingdoms. And this furnishes us with a satisfactory answer to the common question, "Why are these complaints so general now, which were scarce heard of two or three centuries ago?" For this plain reason: Two or three centuries ago, no tea was drank in either Britain or Ireland. 5.

5. But allowing both tea and spirituous liquors to have contributed largely to the increase of nervous disorders, yet it may be doubted, whether one or both of them are the principal causes of them. The principal causes of them '(particularly among those who do not work for their living) are, as Dr. Cadogan justly observes, indolence, intemperance, and irregular passions. First. Indolence, the not using such a degree of exercise as the constitution requires. To illustrate this: Our body is composed of earth, water, air, and fire; and the two latter are as necessary as the two former. To supply these, that curious engine, the lungs, continually takes in the air; to every particle of which a particle of fire is attached, which, being detached from it, is mingled with the blood. Now, exercise quickens the motion of the lungs, and enables them to collect from the air a due quantity of fire. The nerves are the conductors of this ethereal fire, vulgarly called the animal spirits. If this is duly diffused through the whole body, we are lively and vigorous; if it is not, (which without exercise it cannot be,) we soon grow faint and languid. And if other disorders do not ensue, those termed nervous surely will, with that whole train of symptoms which are usually comprised in what is termed lowness of spirits. 6. Intemperance is another principal cause of this; if not intemperance in drink, which is not quite so common, yet intemperance in meat; the taking more of it than nature requires. Dr. Cheyne well observes, it is not generally the quality, but the quantity, of what we eat which hurts us. What hurts the nerves in particular, is the eating too much animal food, especially at night; much more the eating at one meal foods of several different kinds. If we consider how few observe this, we shall not wonder that so many have nervous disorders; especially among those that have an opportunity of indulging themselves daily in variety, and who are hereby continually tempted to eat more than nature. requires. 7. But there is another sort of intemperance, of which I think Dr. Cadogan does not take the least notice. And yet it is the source of more nervous disorders than even intem perance in food; I mean, intemperance in sleep; the sleeping longer than nature requires.

And yet it is the source of more nervous disorders than even intem perance in food; I mean, intemperance in sleep; the sleeping longer than nature requires. This alone will account for the weak nerves of most of our Nobility and Gentry. Not that I would insist upon the old rule, - Sex horas quivis poscit, septemque scholaris; Octo viator habet; nebulo quisque novem." I would allow between six and seven hours, at an average, to a healthy man; or an hour more, between seven and eight hours, to an unhealthy man. And I do not remember, that in threescore years I have known either man or woman who laid longer in bed than this, (whether they slept or no,) but in some years they complained of lowness of spirits. The plain reason of which seems to be, while we sleep all the springs of nature are unbent. And if we sleep longer than is sufficient, they are relaxed more than is sufficient, and of course grow weaker and weaker. And if we lie longer in bed, though without sleep, the very posture relaxes the whole body; much more when we are covercd up with clothes, which throw back on the body whatever perspires. from it. By this means it is stewed in the moist vapour: It Thus paraphrastically translated by an anonymous writer in the Arminian Magazine : "Six hours for sleep the human frame requires; IIard students may to seven incline; To eight, the men whom toil or travelling tires; But lazy knaves will all have nine."-ED 1 r. sucks in again what nature has cast out, and the flesh is, as it were, parboiled therein, and becomes more and more soft and flabby; and the nerves suffer at least as much hereby as any other part of the habit. I cannot therefore but account this, the lying too long in bed, the grand cause of our nervous disorders. 8. And this alone sufficiently answers this question, "Why are we more nervous than our forefathers?" Because we lie longer in bed: They, rich and poor, slept about eight, when they heard the curfew-bell, and rose at four; the bell ringing at that hour (as well as at eight) in every parish in England. We rise (if not obliged to work for our living) at ten, eleven, or twelve.

We rise (if not obliged to work for our living) at ten, eleven, or twelve. Is it any wonder then, were there no other cause, that we complain of lowness of spirits? 9. Yet something may be allowed to irregular passions. For as long as the soul and body are united, these undoubt edly affect the body; the nerves in particular. Even violent joy, though it raises the spirits for a time, does afterwards sink them greatly. And every one knows what an influence fear has upon our whole frame. Nay, even "hope deferred maketh the heart sick;" puts the mind all out of tune. The same effect have all foolish and hurtful desires. They "pierce us through with many sorrows;" they occasion a deep depression of the spirits: So, above all, does inordinate affection; whereby so many, refusing to be comforted, sorrow even unto death. 10. But is there no cure for this sore evil? Is there no remedy for lowness of spirits? Undoubtedly there is; a most certain cure, if you are willing to pay the price of it. But this price is not silver or gold, nor anything purchasable thereby. If you would give all the substance of your house for it, it would be utterly despised; and all the medicines under the sun avail nothing in this distemper. The whole materia medica put together, will do you no lasting service; they do not strike at the root of the disease: But you must remove the cause, if you wish to remove the effect. But this cannot be done by your own strength; it can only be done by the mighty power of God. If you are convinced of this, set about it, trusting in Him, and you will surely conquer. First. Sacredly abstain from all spirituous liquors. Touch them not, on any pretence whatever. To others they may sometimes be of use; but to nervous persons they are deadly poison. Secondly. If you drink any, drink but little ten, and none at all without eating, or without sugar and cream. "But you like it without." No matter; prefer health before taste. Thirdly. Every day of your life take at least an hour's exercise, between breakfast and dinner. If you will, take another hour before supper, or before you sleep. If you can, take it in the open air; otherwise, in the house.

If you can, take it in the open air; otherwise, in the house. If your cannot ride or walk abroad, use, within, a dumb-bell, or a wooden horse. If you have not strength to do this for an hour at a time, do it at twice or thrice. Let nothing hinder you. Your life is at stake. Make everything yield to this. Fourthly. Take no more food than mature requires. Dine upon one thing,-except pudding or pie. Eat no flesh at supper; but something light and easy of digestion. Fifthly. Sleep early and rise early; unless you are ill, never lie in bed much above seven hours. Then you will never lie awake. Your flesh will be firm, and your spirits lively. Sixthly. Above all, Give not your passions way; God gave them to thee under lock and key. Beware of anger; beware of worldly sorrow; beware of the fear that hath torment; beware of foolish and hurtful desires; beware of inordinate affection; remember the kind command, "My son, give me thy heart !" Then shall there be no more complaining of lowness of spirits But "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding," shall keep thy heart and mind in Christ Jesus! MELVILL-House, May 20, 1784.