Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 December 1883 — Hygiene of the Brain. [ARTICLE]

Hygiene of the Brain.

The human brain is the most wonderful object in the world, and its power may be quadrupled by wise culture. The first condition of a healthy brain is exercise. Hard work is necessary to bring it up to its best, The brain is composed of flesh and blood, subject to physiological law, and is not a spiritual organ controlled by laws beyond our reach. Its first need iq an abundance of good blood. It is fundamental in the physiology of the brain that the blood shall be pure. If we lessen the supply of blood to the brain, or send poor, thm, badly-oxygen-ated blood there, the organ will act feebly. This brings up the question of the health of the stomach. The brainworker must not abuse his digestive organs, either in quantity or quality of food. Attention has often been called to the necessity of phosphorus for brain-workers. No thought without phosphorus is no more true than would be no thought without air, water, etc. A lion or tiger, well fed, consumes more phosphorus than a man, but does he tnink more? The beaver, noted as being one of the most thoughtful of animals, secretes very little phosphorus. The most perfect diet for a thinking man or woman is not essentially different from the diet most proper lor a growing boy or girl. There should be plenty of nourishment of a kind easily digested and assimilated, but not taken in sufficient quantities to overload the stomach. The brain does not work well when the stomach is filled with food, especially if indigestible. A few moments of rest before a meal, no brain-work at meal times, nor for a short space after, are important conditions. Ido not advise alcoholic stimulants to brain-workers. While in a few cases they apparently give greater power to the brain, yet, as a rule, their influence is only bad. If you take stimulants when you are tired, and need nourishment and sleep, in order that you may increase nervous exertion, you are drawing on your reserve of vital capital. Muscular exercise is a most important means of brain hygiene, but should not be too severe or too long continued. Gentle exercise to keep the blood circulating and bring plenty of air into the lungjS is sufficient. Very hard and longcontinued physical labor dulls the brain and renders. it less for the reason that the muscles drain off too much of the blood, thus robbing the ‘ brain of its needed supply. It is essential for the brain-worker to have frequent days of entire rest from mental labor. During these periods considerable physical exercise may be taken, and plenty of good nourishing food be eaten, to fill up the circulating vessels with new blood, with which hew work may be done. —Dr. Dio Lewis.