Insanity: Its Causes and Prevention

by Henry Putnam Stearns

With the increase of mental activity alluded to, there have come into a fuller range of activity those portions of the brain which are concerned with thought, and which, in the narrow limits and simple conditions before experienced, had been comparatively inactive. Consequently, a larger supply of blood has been summoned to these parts of the brain to repair the loss incurred by this increased activity. This change and consequent disturbance in the relative blood-supply, as between the brain and other parts of the system, would be of little importance if sufficient care be exercised that it comes in the right degree, and does not cause too great activity in the organ of the mind; indeed, there might be expected favorable results from a larger exercise of function, or at least not unfavorable ones.

In the experience of modern times, however, this has not proved to be the case. With the measure of mental power and scope which attends the change, there has been a large tendency to over-stimulate the intellectual faculties, which has been aided and thought to be necessary, in consequence of the immense competitions and business activities of modern civilization.

This tendency to stimulation has been manifest even to a much larger extent than formerly, first, in the matter of education. The new conditions and employments of life, rendered prominent by some of the discoveries which pertain to science, agriculture, commerce, and the general conduct of business pursuits, have developed requirements on the part of those who are called upon to conduct them, which have been heretofore unknown. To meet these requirements it has been thought necessary to pursue such courses of education, and to present such special incentives to study on the part of the young, by the use of prizes and grades of scholarship, and public exhibitions, as will bring into operation the largest possible activity, and secure the highest discipline of the brain, even at a very early period of life. At this time all the forces of vitality and physical growth are in the fullest activity, so that the strain comes upon the brain at the period when it has the least of ability to bear it, and at expense to other portions of the system.

And again, in the use of stimulants, especially alcohol, in some of its forms, and tobacco, during the period of growth and early manhood. The use of these substances, as well as the subject of education, in their effects upon the nervous system, will be discussed more fully in future chapters, and are only mentioned, in this connection, as causes of nerve degeneration, which have come into operation more fully through the influence of modern civilization.

2. One of the conditions of savage life, is that of a community of interests and supplies, to a large extent. Families and tribes seek for and possess supplies in common; the weaker depend upon the strong, and the strong aid the weak, so that when privations, from failure in the chase and other causes, may come, they affect all together, and generally in like degree. The passion of avarice is in a latent state; those who are strong do not thrive at the expense of those who are less so, while the latter depend upon aid from the former. Wealth and poverty and such distinctions as arise from these civil conditions are unknown.

Under the conditions and customs which pertain to civilized life, how great the contrast! All, or nearly all, is changed. Individuality appears at once. Each and every person, or family, is expected to rely upon his, or its, individual effort for success in obtaining such things as are necessary to comfort and well-being. In this he stands, in a large sense, isolated, and fails, or succeeds, by himself, alone, or with his family.

In other words, community of interests, except in some very indefinite and limited measure, is lost sight of, and swallowed up in those of the individual. In the conduct of life, the strong are almost sure, not only to neglect the weak, but often to tyrannize over them; they become selfish and not unfrequently covetous, and require much for little. The distinctions and conditions of society incident to wealth and poverty, knowledge and ignorance, appear, and the latter too often surrounds its unfortunate victim with such hardships and exposure, as tend rapidly, in too many cases, toward bodily and mental disease.

In this way the struggle incident to the conditions of civilized life, becomes tenfold greater than in savage life, for one portion of the community, and in this struggle, the weaker ones, sooner or later, tend toward the wall. The strong become stronger from the very conditions and influences which surround them, while the weak tend to become weaker, and many are almost sure to fall by the way. Ignorance, poverty, and unhealth are long-time companions, and lean strongly toward immortality.

Under the complicated conditions and antagonizing interests of civilization, the strong make the laws and establish the customs, which become obligatory upon all alike, and these will invariably be of such a character as will, in the long run, discriminate in their own favor. This has been apparent in all the older civilizations, especially in reference to the tenure of land; so that, once owned, always owned, might be considered as the law. Land, once in possession, continues in families for long generations, or indefinitely, unless it revert to the government. In either case its resources in ameliorating the conditions of the poor, and ministering to the productive wealth of the country, are greatly diminished, while under the influence and laws of a larger community of interests, it could be made productive toward the support and comfort of thousands who now live and die in poverty, want, and ignorance, and who, all their lives, from infancy to death, are in those circumstances of privation which render them specially liable to disease of mind.

But not only in respect of land does the tendency to unequal conditions manifest itself; it becomes apparent in reference to property in nearly all its other forms. In the conduct of commerce, manufactures, trade and exchange, in government itself, there exist vast ranges of opportunity unknown to savage life, for the strong to triumph over the weak: To him that hath shall be given, and he shall have an abundance, while from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he appeareth to have. The rich have an abundance and surfeit, while the poor become poorer, and suffer for the requisites wherewith to become strong, or even to remain in physical health. To the one class pertain all those conditions which serve to invigorate and strengthen, while to the other pertain the opposite ones. To the one belongs abundance in the way of food, clothing, shelter, warmth, pure air, change, and education, while to the other pertain privation, insufficiency of food, impure air, overwork, ignorance, and a never-ending monotony and drudgery of life.