The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-12-16
ERR0RS ABorr APaPLErr.
Caaraeter or the BlSeaSs-PFemonI-
tory symptoms Rare-ExeIIing CauS-


In conversation with persons aJour
VICE President Wilson's death snd its
cause, have noticed that few have a
riSht conception OF the symptoms OF
apOplexy- The conditions constitute
ing an attack are the rupture Of a
cerebral blood vessel and consequent
hemOrrhage or eXtravasatiOn Cf blood
into the brain. The effect Of an ex-
travasatiOn of blood into the brain
substance is the same as cOrupression
by depressed portion of the skull
because the brain is inelosed in a
hard, unyIelding bOuy case. Under
these circumstances the pressure
caused by the extraYassted blood in
terrupts the circulation in the sub-
stance of the brain, and the apoDletie
phenomena, such as stupOr. insensi-
bility, etc, are in fact due d a def
cheney OF proper supply of blood to
the nervous mass. The mechanism
IS practically the same when apOplexy
depends on Sudden and intense con-
gestiOn, or the plugging of - cerebral
artery by q blood clOt
The symptoms of the dIsaSe and i'm
mediate cause Of death are, therefore.
due 20 lack of a proper suDply of
blood TO the brain, and not, ~ is gen.
orally supposed, To an accumulation
or rush Of blood 10 the head.u II
may appear paradOxical that a super-
huOus quantity of blood within the
Uranium shOuli destroy life bv de-
psiving the mass Of brain OF sufficient
supply of arterial blood, vet the fact is
sufficiently clear. Tue rupture Of the
cerebral blood vessels Is dus to the
weakness of its GOats, which is the re-
snlt o. general debility or previous in
health. In the great maj0rity of cas-.
es there are no premOnItOry symp.
toms. The attack may be preceded
IN certain instances, by n sense OF
weight or fulliness, vertigo, flushing
OF the face, etc, but these symptoms
are never of sufficient significance to
warrant the prediction of an attack.
Statistics show that OF 63 cases an
alyzed with reference to premSnitory
symptoms by ROehesux, they were
present IN only 8, less than Is per
cent. OF the whole number. The liza
bility to an attack increases progress.
sively from the age OF 20 years up-
ward, occurring mNSt frequently after
60 years of age, which is due to the in
creased weakness OF the coats OF the
blood vessels in old age, and hence
their liability To rupture.
1t is generally supposed that an at
tack is usually preceded by strong
mental excitement or violent physical
exertiOn. This does not seem to be
the case. Although attacks some-
times follow severe muscular exercise
Of mental excitement, in the urge
proportion of eIses the affection is
not iOduced by any obvious exciting
cause. Gendia alalyzsi I76 eases,
and fOuGd that some 81 (uver 81 per
cent occurred during sleep, and a
large share OF the others when the pa-
tients were comparatively q1iet. An
other popular error is the supp0sition
that certain class Of citizens who
have snort necks, 1orid faces, with
what is known as q full habit, with
considerable embonpOint, are peculiar
ly liable to q sO-called apoplectic con-
stitution- Recent researches and
analyses of large numbers Of eases
have developed the facts that no re-
lance is to be placed on these or any
other external characters as denoting
a predispositiOn to apOplexy, aud that
the majority Of persons attacked are
either spare or Of ordinary habit OF
body. After patient has suffered
one attack aud partially recovered,
the conditions which induced il are
likely tn remain or to return, aurl
hence there is considerable liability to
a recurrence. Physicians therefore
conclude that unless one attack has
occurred there are but few il any phy-
sical signs or premonitOry symptoms
which will warrant the prediction Of
an attack in any ease.-M Y Tribune.