Mrs. C., a New England woman, aet. 33, undertook, at the age of sixteen, a severe course of mental labor, and within two years completed the whole range of studies which, at the school she went to, were usually spread over four years.  An early marriage, three pregnancies, the last two of which broke in upon the years of nursing, began at last to show in loss of flesh and color.  Meanwhile, she met with energy the multiplied claims of a life full of sympathy for every form of trouble, and, neglecting none of the duties of society or kinship, yet found time for study and accomplishments.  By and by she began to feel tired, and at last gave way quite abruptly, ceased to menstruate five years before I saw her, grew pale and feeble, and dropped in weight in six months from one hundred and twenty-five pounds to ninety-five.  Nature had at last its revenge.  Everything wearied her,—­to eat, to drive, to read, to sew.  Walking became impossible, and, tied to her couch, she grew dyspeptic and constipated.  The asthenopia which is almost constantly seen in such cases added to her trials, because reading had to be abandoned, and so at last, despite unusual vigor of character, she gave way to utter despair, and became at times emotional and morbid in her views of life.  After numberless forms of treatment had been used in vain, she came to this city and passed into my care.

At this time she could not walk more than a few steps without flushing and without a sense of painful tire.  Her morning temperature was 97.5 deg.  F., and her white corpuscles were perhaps a third too numerous.  After most careful examination, I could find no disease of any one organ, and I therefore advised a resort to the treatment by rest, with full confidence in the result.

In this single case I give the schedule of diet in full as a fair example: 

Mrs. C. remained in bed in entire repose.  She was fed, and rose only for the purpose of relieving the bladder or the rectum.

October 10.—­Took one quart of milk in divided doses every two hours.

11th.—­A cup of coffee on rising, and two quarts of milk given in divided portions every two hours.  A pill of aloes every night, which answered for a few days.

12th to 15th.—­Same diet.  The dyspepsia by this time was relieved, and she slept without her habitual dose of chloral.  The pint of raw soup was added in three portions on the 16th.

17th and 18th.—­Same diet.

19th.—­She took, on awaking at 7, coffee; at 7.30, a half-pint of milk; and the same at 10 A.M., 12 M., 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 P.M.  The soup at 11, 5, and 9.

23d.—­She took for breakfast an egg and bread-and-butter; and two days later (25th) dinner was added, and also iron.

On the 28th this was the schedule: 

On waking, coffee at 7.  At 8, iron and malt.  Breakfast, a chop, bread-and-butter; of milk, a tumbler and a half.  At 11, soup.  At 2, iron and malt.  Dinner, closing with milk, one or two tumblers.  The dinner consisted of anything she liked, and with it she took about six ounces of burgundy or dry champagne.  At 4, soup.  At 7, malt, iron, bread-and-butter, and usually some fruit, and commonly two glasses of milk.  At 9, soup; and at 10 her aloe pill.  At 12 M., massage occupied an hour.  At 4.30 P.M., electricity was used for an hour in the manner which I have described.