BERIAH BOTFIELD.
MEANING OF "NERVOUS".
(Vol. iv., p. 7.)
Medically, the word nervous has the following meanings:—
1. Of or belonging to the anatomical substance called nerve, e. g. the "nervous system," "nervous sheaths," "nervous particles," &c.
2. A predomination of the nervous system, when it is unusually active or highly developed, which is what we mean in speaking of a "nervous temperament," "a nervous person," &c.
3. Certain functional disorders of the nervous system are so termed, and in this sense we speak of "nervous people," "nervous complaints," and so forth.
4. Nervous is also used, more poetically than correctly, to signify muscular, and as synonymous with brawny, sinewy, &c., thus conveying an idea of strength and vigour. But nerve is not muscle, therefore this inaccurate use of the word, though sanctioned by some good old writers, must cease.
5. Nervous, in speaking of a part of the body, signifies a part in which there are many nerves, or much nervous matter, or which is endowed with extra sensibility.
These are the various ideas commonly attached to the word nervous. They are too many for the word to be a closely accurate one, but we must take them, not make them. We can, however, avoid the future inaccurate use of the term alluded to in explanation 4., and all the metaphorical derivations thereof, such as a "nervous style of writing," &c., and adhere to those two significations which are physiologically and pathologically correct, and which are obviously derivable from the several meanings and explanations above enumerated, viz.—
1. Of or belonging to the natural structure or functions of nerve; and