The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1872-03-07
The Skeleton in our House.

DildSt OF lie We arc ~ death " Is an Ak.
i n which never loses its force. but seems
tobecome more aud ulore applicable with
every recurring year. The results ofmod.
ern science. especially in matters Of loco.
motion. have increased percep.ibly the av-
erage peril ofhuna,' life. Though fearful
scourges which existed in long past ages
have become extinct though the plngue
which the payers Of pious Psuce' alone
could stay, and tho pestilences Of biblical
times and even Of tic middle ayes seer, to
have disappeared, tho aggregate Of mortal
maladies il probably greater than ever
We all know how, at intervals. stealing
from its miaslnatic home and amid the
jungles Of the far East. the Asiatc cholera
starts on its death dealing march around
the globe. We have at this very day uu.
happy proofs Of the prevalence Of oue Of
tho most noisome and fearful diseases
which has ever existed. Consumption. as
ever, maintains its fearful prominence, and
tho roads to tue tomb are nearly as numer.
Gus as the myriads Of travellers who are
fastening to that inevitable destiny.
To certain countries there are local lis.
eases which have given uuenviable cele.
brity to particular places. Our own land
has boosted an immunity from such ioAc.
lions; but the words seem to be. but idle
bravado. Over the best, the proudest,
the most cultivated Of our people there is
hanging tho dread shadow Of an awful
doom. On tho keenest intellect it is tho
most apt to full. For tho busiest, the
most prominent and useful Of our public
its deadly blight is mos. surely intended.
Against the prowling murderer we can at
least take measures Of defence; from tho
burning Of the fever we can seek cooling
relief; from the faint Of other diseases We
can ask the protection ofscience; but when
Paralysis soizes tho franc it is as though
the 10y fingers Of death itself had touched
US; and o hollow voice were heard to say,
"Yet o little time and all is over"
Coming upon o man suddenly in the
iullness Of life and vigor. the dread dis.
ease presents horror to which the grave
itselfisa stranger. It allowsof no time
for preparation, it sends forth no friendly
scouts to warn us Of its coming. When
the moment has arrived. the merchant
leaves bis ledger. the lawyer drops bis
briefs, the legislator forgets the measures
90 dear to him, the literary man turns
from bis books. tho journalists pen falls
nerveless from his grasp, and oil these
thinkers and workers become helpless oh.
jects Of pity;if conscious themselves, uu-
able to communicate With those about
them; living corpses, souls bound, in the
Apostles language, ito the body Of this
death"
The Greek word from which our term
paralysis is derived means relaxation, in
the sense not Of recreation, but Of a letting
20 Of the function Of motion o, sensation,
ARISING from an interruption or destruc.
ton Of the nervous influence necessary to
10 those acts" OF the technical features
Of Tue disease, ve do not propose hero to
speak; but we would direct the attention
Of the medical profession to the prevalence
ofths malady in our own couutry-a pre-.
valence which might permit one to call
paralysis national American complaint.
No one can have read the papers lately
with even ordinary attention without hav-
ing noticed the vast number Of cases. =
The senate, at Washington. the clergyman
in the West, merchants in tho marts Of
business, men ofappareut leisure in their
quiet homes all have lately fallen before
this grim forerunner Of Death. Scientific
men attribute these cases and almost all
other paralytic strokes, to the keen, rest
less activity ofthe American mind, which
admits Of no recreation or rcpose. The
reason may be Just, but it is unsatisfactory.
Is this eclipse Of all physical and mental
faculties to close, without opposition, the
bright careers Of our leading public men.
ofour most brilliant intallec,s? Surely. if
science canuot cure the m.lady. it should
give timely warning Of its awful increase.
and devise some prevention. The tomb