The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-06-08
Apop1exy and its Causes.
BY HENRY REYNOLDS, NJ. D.

The frequency of death from apoplexy is such
as to attract considerable attention. 1T is not
avery unfrequent occurrence for a person 10 be
Smitten suddenly and die, bythis disease. The
person may seem to be in his usual health. or
even feel "a little better than customary. eats a
hearty dinner or supper, sits pleasantly chatting
with friend and all at once appears changed,
and Is dead. Or he may have retired at night
apparently well, and the morning found him
| corpse The late Reverdy johnson, hale and
hearty old man, ate freely of rich dinner OH a
public occasion at Baltimore walked in the gar
den, and was found head. The late Vice Pres
ident Wilson dined freely in New York, pro-
ceeded to Washington and was found dead
Numerous other eases might be mentioned but
these are sufficient to illustrate the manner ia
which this disease Stays its victims. What j..
the nauro Of disease whose approach is SO
unob>eryed and its onslaught 50 fatal? Is
there no way to detect its advance or to escape
from its clutches? Is one person as likely to
be attacked as another, and is there no means
OF prevention: These and other questions nat
urally suggest themselves in regard to this dis
ease. Their answer in part will attempt.
1t may be stated i'll the first place, that all are
not equally liable to its attack. Some have
stated that the large, stitf-necked people are
more liable than others to suffer from it. This
i'll fact may be true, but it admits of different
explanation from the mere shape of their form.
1t may be stated that apopeXy never attacks II
really healthy person under ordinary condi-
tlons. Almost invariably there is predispos-
of the system brought about gradually during
years Of wrong hygiene management. To eX-
plain this condition, it will he necessary to look
for Il moment, at the character of the disease.
hen Il man dies with apopieNy, what has hap
pened to Kill Him 20 suddeny? A blood vessel
has bursted, the blood escapes into the tissues
OF the brain, congresses it aud kills the man,
just As quick As bullet would. The sudden
ness OF death Is regulated by tile amount of the
eiiu son of blood, and the portion of the brain
AZ Ipb il hA ..ntt al r,.rt
OF the brain near the great centers of nerve
ton, immediate death results. Ii it is near the
surface of the brain, and moderate in amount,
death does not result so speedily. The patient
is unconscious for q time, perhaps gradually re-
gains his consciousness. finds himself para, Zed
on one side, and under favorable conditions may
ut last regain more OF less control Of his limbs
rarely may entirely recover, and by change of
habits, ward Oft another attack, and hive for
Years.
What takes place in these eases where the
patient RECEIVERS more OF less completely The
blood forms clot, tile liquid further becomes
absorbed, diminishing tile pressure upon the
brain and consciousness returns. Gradually
the clot is absorbed and shrink1 still further
and relieves the brain 50 that control of the
limbs returns, and finally the eliot may be al
most entirely removed. leaving only small
traces of the injury which it had inflicted
This is the natural course Of the disease. II
the person lives long enough nature makes an
effort to remove the trouble, and effect rGcUv-
cry. But wi hat causes the bloc! Vessel in one
mans head To burst uu.!tr precisely the same
external circumstances IN Which another man
suffers not the slightest harm? This is the es-
sential point Of the case aud deserves special
attention. The structure of the blood vessel
has become degencrated. The natural tissues
of the blood vessels are strong, tough, pl lStic
und muscular, and will not rupture unless sub
jeced to very great strains and tensions. But
wrong system of diet, 50 common with our
people, fail, to supply TO the system the proper
.f :. l., .l,ru,
blood vessels in good repair. Want of exercise
prevents the perfect elaboration, the food taken
and impure air prevents the removal OF the ef-
ieje and Worn-out particles Ot matter from the
TISSUES. Fat takes the place Of muscular fibre,
and the elastic tissue becomes weakened and
brittle. The blood becomes more rigid and I'M
yielding and when forced by Il little extra ten
sion caused by slight increase III the force of
the circulation. ruptures, The blood pours out
and the person Is prostrated
This is more likely to ocrur in persons who
have passed the age of forty. A. person all
v;nces in Years there is a tendency to this pc
cuifar degeneration Of the blood vessels. Peo-
pie with the advance of years become more iu-
active, fail to properly restrict their diet and
eat unsuitable kinds of food. and Il degencra-
ton Of tissue takes place more or less eXten-
sivey throughout their bodies. They are then
ripe for apopleXy. a hearty dinner distends
the stomach, intcrtcreS with the free return of
blood from the head, a blood vessel ruptures
and they are dead. Unusual excitement, Il tit
OF anger, great joy, grief or other disturbance
of The circulation, may produce the same result.
This is emphaticaIlv disease where IAN
ounce of prevention Is worth / pound OF cure.'
Much may be doir IN the way of prevention;
very little in the way Of cure. 4 plain diet in
moderate amount, abundant exercise and pure
air to breathe, are the best safeguards against
it- attacks and the best means of prevention.
Even in eases where an attack has been sur
riVcd, attention 10 these mean, will do much
towards prelpntng another attack.