Show principles of physiology extracts from andrew combes physiology even efer where no hereditary defect exists the state of the mother during pregnancy has an influence on the mental character and health of the offspring of chieh few parents have any adequate conception in my work on mental derangement I 1 referred in proof of this fact to the testimony of M esquirol whose talent general accuracy and extensive experience give great weight to all his well considered 0 pinions opinions it is often he says in the maternal womb that we are to look for the true cause not only of imbecility but also of the different kinds 0 of f mania during the agitated periods of the french revolution many ladies then pregnant I 1 and nd whose mirds were kept constantly or on the stretch t r e eh by y the anxiety and alarm inseparable from om the epoch in which they lived and whose nervous systems were thereby rendered irritable itri tn the highest degree compatible with sanity I 1 were afterward delivered of infants whose brains I 1 and nervous systems had been affected to such a I 1 degree by the state of their parent that in future life hie as children they were subject to spasms convulsions and other nervous affections c and in youth to imbecility or dementia almost without any exciting cause dr caldwell too the able and advocate of an improved sy system of physical moral and intellectual education in america is very urgent in enforcing rational care during the period of gestation on the part of every mother who values the future health and happiness of her progeny among other things he insists on the necessity of mothers taking more exercise in the open air than they usually do and cautions them against allowing a feeling of false deli delicacy acy to keep them confined in their rooms for weeks or months for the same reason the mind ought to be kept free from gloom or anxiety and in that state of cheerful activity which results from the proper exercise of the mom moral and social feelings and intellect butia seclusion and depression be e hurtful to the unborn progeny thoughtless dissipation late hours dancing waltzing and rough exercise on horseback irritability of temper and peevishness of disposition are not less injurious hence the of anspach most justly remarks remark that when a female is likely to become a mother she ought to be doubly careful of her temper and in particular to indulge no ideas that are not cheerful and no sentiments that are not ot kind such is the enn nexion between thi the mind and body that the features of the face are commonly into an expression of the internal disposition and is it not natural to I 1 think that an infant before it is born may be affected by the temper of its mother 9 keeping the above principle in view we shall not be surprised to find that turn non exercise of the brain and nervous cyst system m or in other words inactivity of intellect and of feeling is a very frequent predisposing disposing pre cause of every fort form of nervous disease for demonstrative evidence of this position we have only onla to look at the numerous victims to be found among females of the middle and higher ranks who have no call to exertion in gaining the means of subsistence and no objects of interest on which to exercise exercise their mental faculties and who consequently sink into a state of mental sloth and nervous weakness which not only deprives them of much enjoyment but lays them open to suffering both of mind and body from the slightest causes cauper |