
Transcriber’s Note
CHAPTER I. BREAKDOWNS IN GENERAL.
CHAPTER II. THE DANGER SIGNAL.
CHAPTER III. HEALTH.
CHAPTER IV. THE VALUE OF HEALTH.
CHAPTER V. REWARDS AND PENALTIES.
CHAPTER VI. THE HUMAN ENGINE AND HOW TO STOKE IT.
CHAPTER VII. WHAT TO EAT.
CHAPTER VIII. HOW TO EAT FOOD.
CHAPTER IX. HOW MUCH FOOD TO TAKE.
In the opening pages, the author likens a sudden train halt to the unexpected collapse of a seemingly robust mind, drawing listeners into the unsettling experience of a nervous breakdown. He paints vivid portraits of men and women—ambitious professionals, devoted caregivers, philanthropists—who, at the peak of their abilities, find their nerves failing them. This striking analogy sets the tone for a practical exploration of why the strongest individuals are often the most vulnerable.
From that point, the work delves into the early‑20th‑century understanding of nervous exhaustion, examining its causes, warning signs, and everyday triggers. The author blends medical insight with real‑world advice, offering strategies for recognizing stress overload before it cripples ambition or health. Listeners will come away with a clearer sense of how to safeguard their mental stamina and keep their personal “engine” running smoothly.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (260K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Charlene Taylor, Fay Dunn, Bryan Ness and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2014-11-16
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
A physician writing in the early 1900s, this author explored stress, fatigue, and everyday habits in a practical, approachable way. His best-known work offers a revealing glimpse into how mental and physical well-being were explained to general readers in 1913.
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