Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-12-22
Af,NplExN

. .
have noted the alarming increase in
that sudden and fatal disease, Apo
plexy. More of our eminent men are
carried off by this disease, or one of
its attendente. Paralysis, than pehaps
by any other cause, and authors arc
especially liable to an attack. The
canses which lead to this condition
are best accounted for in late num-
Der of the Popular Science M0nthly,
by DIR. y. II. Black. He says that in
middle-life bloodvessels in the brain
arc apt to lose some of their elastic
strength. When food is abundant
and digestion good blood ia copionsly
formed, and but little is worked OIL by
exercise, the tension upon every vein
and artery is alta maximum. and at
the weakest point n weasel gives way,
blood is poured our, and a clot is
formed which produces unconscious
ness by lite pressure on the brain. This
is an apoplectic stroke. The cause of
il is merely lessened strength of
vessels and an Increased tension upon
them. No vessels are so frequently
rnptnred IA those which carry blood
fatty dcgencracy which il apt to take
place in tho middle arterial coat of the
cerebral vessels, whereby the elastic
strength ia much impaired.
There are two kinds ct dcgeneracy
found in tho arteries Of tho brain: the
fatty and calcareons. The microscope
shows that in many cases the strong,
elastic iibrcs which should make M
the substance of the middle arterial
coat, arc, in places here and there, no
longerto be seen. their place is occupied
by fatty globules, which have very
little resisting power. Ito attributes
this change mainly to III usc of ar
dent spirits and tobacco. cThese are
the chief agents which affect the nor
vons system. Delirium trcmens, in
somnia, tremulons hands, and nervous
headaches, show the effect of the hab-
itual nsC of stimnlantR and narcotics.
Ardent spirits tend also to produce an
over.fnllness of the cerebral vessels,
and influence ininrionsly the nervous
centres; and any interference with the
nutrition OF any part of tho body is
simply to impair the life and power
Of the structure. The evidences OF
impairment are seldom apparent dur
ing the prime of youthful yigor: but
the mischief is going on, and the or
gan upon which the weight of in
fringement falls will at length mani
fest signs of disease. aud through it
Death will make its final conquest.
The first appoplcctic attack is very
frequently not severe one. The
ruptures may be small, but it shows
the condition of the vessels, and soon
large rents will be made which the
power of Nature is incapable of repair
ing. When the sort of life has been
led which Is most likely to produce
weakness and fragility in the coats of
the vessels of the brain, the remedy
obviously is to diminish and keep the
tension on these vessels Ny the blood
at low rate all the time. This can be
done by cutting off supplies. When
water-hose are weak, prudence avoids
forcing water too strongly into them.
High pressure in such cases must pro-
duce fatal results. The death of
Charles Dickens was case in point.
The brain work he performed was i'm
mense. He used wine and meat lib
orally, disregarded the signs of struct-
ural decay, and forced his reluctant
brain to do what it had once done
with ease, until, under greater ten
sion than ordinary, a weak vessel gave
way and flooded the brain with blood.
A stroke of apoplexy generally oc-
ours after eating hearty meal. In
advanced life it is not uncommon to
find portions of the middle coat of the
arteries of the brain, especially at its
base, displaced by lime particles,
which render them easily torn.
Proper regulations in eating and
drinking are the only means to be re-
lied on for prevention. Blood let
ting was formerly resorted 10. Rnt II
is very unsafe. After bleeding. blood
ia more rapidly formed, and the diff
Guilty is constantly removed while the
patient, who is led to suppose this
is the true remedy, is apt to rely upon
II, and otherwise TO take no care.
When advancing age puts a check up
on exercise, a decided check should
be put upon the daily con-
sumption of food otherwise an accu-
mutation OF surplus blood must re-
suit. Men well past the middle age,
who exercise very little, often eat as
freely OF nutritious food az in their
younger days. This il extremely
daugerous-prodncing too great a
tension on tho vascular system. To
keeps down snperlluous blood, vegcta.
bic food is the beat. Animal food
makes blood with dangerous rapidity.
Even vegetable food should not be
used go literally as in middle life.
The true rule ia, not to cat to entire
safety. Even those of younger years
and Of aedentary habits will feel
lighter and better In every way by
leaving tho table little hungry. All
strong liquors are unsuited to those
with an apoplectic tendency. One OF
their prominent effects is to cause a
degeneration in the coating Of the
bioodyessels, and another Ia to drive
more than the usual amount of blood
to the brain.