Neurasthenia.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 76

Neurasthenia.

Neurasthenia, is sometimes described as a condition half-way between ill-heal*si (from any cause) and an. hysterical state. It would, however, be very wrong to class all sufferers from neurasthenia- as being hysterical. The condition usually follows a prolonged term of poor health after some acute illness The patient has been so long in. ill-health that his mind loses all sense of discrimination between real and fancied symptoms. AJI his morbid fancies seem to him concrete fae^s, a»d one of Jhe commonest and most serious of these fancies is that no doctor can understand his complaint or accurately treat it. Beside* this mental condition, there is a decided want of bodily tone, he gets easily tired after any exercise or work, and frequently suffers from sleeplessness and mild forms or indigestion The beat treatment n a change of climate, new friends, and encouragement by these friends to believe in the powers of his new- physician. An hour's rest in bed every afternoon, * carefully selected diet, and moderate daily outdoor exercise, together with a whole-hearted effort to get w«ll on the part of the patient, will in many cases effect a cure.