passive exercise is performed in the morning or afternoon, and should last from one-half to an hour, every part of the body being kneaded, even the face and scalp.  In the afternoon or morning the various muscles should be passively exercised by electricity, each muscle being made to contact by the application of the poles of the battery to its motor points, the slowly interrupted current being used.  Neither of these forms of exercise call for any expenditure of nerve force; they keep up the general nutrition.  The following programme for a day’s existence is an example of what the physician should order: 

[Nervous system 283]

7:30 a. m.—­Glass of hot or cold milk, predigested, boiled or raw as the case requires.

8:00 a. m.—­The nurse is to sponge the patient with tepid water or with cold and hot water alternately to stimulate the skin and circulation, the body being well wrapped in a blanket, except the portion which is being bathed.  After this the nurse should dry the part last wetted, with a rough towel, using some friction to stimulate the skin.

8:30 a. m.—­Breakfast.  Boiled, poached or scrambled eggs, milk toast, water toast, or a finely cut piece of mutton chop or chicken.

10:00 a. m.—­Massage.

11:00 a. m.—­A glass of milk, or a milk punch, or egg-nog.

12:00 m.—­Reading for an hour.

1:00 p. m.—­Dinner.  Small piece of steak, rare roast beef, consomme soup, mutton broth, and any one of the easily digested vegetables, well cooked.

3:00 p. m.—­Electricity.

4:30 p. m.—­A glass of milk, a milk punch or egg-nog.

6:30 p. m.—­Supper.  This should be very plain, no tea or coffee, but toast and butter, milk, curds and whey, or a plain custard.

9 :30 p. m.—­A glass of milk or milk punch.

In this way the day is well filled, and the time does not drag so heavily as would be thought.  If the stomach rebels at over feeding, the amount of food must be cut down, but when all the effort of the body is concentrated on respiration, circulation, and digestion a large amount of nourishment can be assimilated by the exhausted body, which before this treatment is undertaken may have had its resources so shattered as to be unable to carry out any physiological act perfectly.  For the treatment to be successful the rules laid down should be rigidly followed, and the cure should last from three to six weeks or longer.”

Hysteria.—­A state in which ideas control the body and produce morbid changes in its functions.

Causes.—­It occurs mostly in women, and usually appears first about the time of puberty, but the manifestations may continue until the menopause or even until old age.  It occurs in all races.  Children under twelve years are not very often affected.  A physician writes:  One of the saddest chapters in the history of human deception, that of the Salem witches, might be headed, “Hysteria in Children,”