At the next station the old man and his daughter left the cars, but the incident, so suggestive of Shakspeare’s Ophelia, awakened strange thoughts in the mind of the writer.  It is an absolute fact that while the population of America increased thirty per cent. during the decade between 1870 and 1880 the insanity increase was over one hundred and thirty-five per cent. for the same period.  Travellers by rail, by boat, or in carriages in any part of the land see large and elaborate buildings, and inquire what they are?

Insane asylums!

Who builds them?

Each state; every county; hundreds of private individuals, and in all cases their capacity is taxed to the utmost.

Why?

Because men, in business and the professions, women, at home or in society, and children at school overtax their mental and nervous forces by work, worry and care.  This brings about nervous disorders, indigestion, and eventually mania.

It is not always trouble with the head that causes insanity.  It far oftener arises from evils in other parts of the body.  The nervous system determines the status of the brain.  Any one who has periodic headaches; occasional dizziness; a dimness of vision; a ringing in the ears; a feverish head; frequent nausea or a sinking at the pit of the stomach, should take warning at once.  The stomach and head are in direct sympathy, and if one be impaired the other can never be in order.  Acute dyspepsia causes more insane suicides than any other known agency, and the man, woman or child whose stomach is deranged is not and cannot be safe from the coming on at any moment of mania in some one of its many terrible forms.

The value of moderation and the imperative necessity of care in keeping the stomach right must therefore be clear to all.  The least appearance of indigestion, or mal-assimilation of food should be watched as carefully as the first approach of an invading army.  Many means advocated for meeting such attacks, but all have heretofore been more or less defective.  There can be little doubt, however, that for the purpose of regulating the stomach, toning it up to proper action, keeping its nerves in a normal condition and purifying the blood, Warner’s Tippecanoe The Best, excels all ancient or recent discoveries.  It is absolutely pure and vegetable; it is certain to add vigor to adults, while it cannot by any possibility injure even a child.  The fact that it was used in the days of the famous Harrison family is proof positive of its merits as it so thoroughly withstood the test of time.  As a tonic and revivifer it is simply wonderful.  It has relieved the agony of the stomach in thousands of cases; soothed the tired nerves; produced peaceful sleep and averted the coming on of a mania more to be dreaded than death itself.

* * * * *

1885.

HARPER’S MAGAZINE.

ILLUSTRATED.