Diseases > Domestic medicine

DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 75
madness, are often the effect of close application to
study. In fine, there is no disease which can proceed
either from a had state of the humours, a defect of
the usual secretions, or a debility of the nervous
system, which may not be induced by intense
thinking.
Hypochondriasm.—But the most afflicting of all
the diseases which attack the studious is the hypo¬
chondriac. This disease seldom fails to be the com¬
panion of deep thought. It may rather be called a
complication of maladies than a single one. To what
a wretched condition are the best of men often re¬
duced by it! Their strength and appetite fail; a
perpetual gloom hangs over their minds ; they live in
the constant dread of death, and are continually in
search of relief from medicine, where, alas ! it is not
to be found. Those who labour under this disorder,
though they are often made the subject of ridicule,
justly claim our highest sympathy and compassion.
Hardly any thing can be more preposterous than
for a person to make study his sole business. A
mere student is seldom an useful member of society.
He often neglects the most important duties of life,
in order to pursue studies of a very trifling nature.
ADVICE TO STUDIOUS AND INTENSE THINKERS, ETC. •
Studious persons, in order to relieve their minds,
must not only discontinue to read and write, but
engage in some employment or diversion, that will so
far occupy the thought as to make them forget the
business of the closet. A solitary ride or walk are so
far from relaxing the mind, that they rather encourage
thought. Nothing can divert the mind, when it gets
into a train of serious thinking, but attontion to sub¬
jects of a more trivial nature. These prove a kind ot
play to the mind, and consequently relieve it.