Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-05-18

which supply the brain. In later stages,
the SUBSTANCE of the nervvus tissue itseii
undergoes modification by which Its az,
,ivity Is permanently lost These are ths
| physiological consequences, most briefly
summed up. The first symptom is want
Of fun bodily yigM; then follows craving
| tor more work, disturbed sleep. acute sen.
| sifiyeness to extrrnal impressions, and
finally, strange figures and sounds are
seen and heard. This condition may coz
time for years, and the sufferer in time
| may begin TO accept abnormal creations a.
natural DIR. Richardson cites q case OF q
merchant, who Tor weeks retained in his
vision the ss,ectya of three lights. oval in
shape, Of the size Of an egg, and 20 clearly
defnea 10 the observer that he would
wxicf them half consciously as fhey float
ed before him on the wall, the ceiling, OF
| in space. In this stage of the disease lies
the foundation Of all hypothesis u ghost.
seeing, Of ecstatic visions, and even Of
poetic frenzy. A curious instance direct
| iy in point, which came 10 our notice very
recently, is that Of q we'll known writer
| on the press, who, for some time past. ha1
devoted attention TO the subject of morbid
| mental conditions. This gentleman, IN 9
letter TO daily Journal, states himself 70
| be the victim of the horrible spectacle oil
two men hanging from gallows, sight
which he once beheld while acting as a
CITY reporter The suspended corpses are
clearly brought before him by the sound
of rain 1.-THE execution occurred during d
rainstorr1), and also iy the sound Of
laughter, since, through some uncontrolla-
bic impulse during the hanging, he was
| induced TO utter an untimely peal OF ner-
riment That the writer's brain is in
ured, possibly by the excessive mental
strain peculiar 10 his profession, seems
probable: and the lesson is manifested, as
already described, by the constant recur-
renee Of the apparition.
1t is a we'll known fact that we have
two natures, one purely organic and emo
tional, the other subject TO the reasoning
powers. The organic nervous chain ex-
| lists in the body as link between emo
tional mental acts and vascular supply.
An impression from without, made
through the organs of the senses upon
the emotional centers, is reflected directly
| from them TO the vascular expanse, The
part fushes or blanches, and the heart
hesitates, palpitates, rebounds or inter
| mits; so that these centers, excited by
anxiety, or grief, or JOY, or sorrow, infiu-
ence the waves of blood passing through
the system, and the brain promptly feels
the imperfect regulation of the supply.
Under varying tensions OF the vessels,
there are flashes, chills, GOODNESS OF the
extremities, and other oppressive symp-
toms, while, in addition, appear the dis
,tressing ringing or hammering sounds In
the head. These sounds are arterial muir
murs, vibrations of the blood which
presses with each impulse Of the heart on
the bony surroundings of the relaxed
carotid canal, situated at the base of the
skull The canal is In direct connection,
by solid connecting substance, with the
organs OF hearing, and thus the faintest
vibration is detected. The sound pro
duced when il is sudden and unexpected,
as In moments of fear, is occasionally
mistaken for a sound proceeding from
without with no obvious cause.
Thus the sufferer is likely to- see Wis
ions and hear strange noises, impalpable
so 10 speak, but as purely physical as the
most common things ia life. In some in
stances they are actual perceptions OF real
facts or objects, caught by an extremely
susceptible and delicate nervous surface.
In others they are an intensified recogni-
ton Of movements within the body; but
ia the vast majority Of instances they are
actual impressions made at some time on
the organism, and now recalled and rem.
dered more definite by constant recur-
renee. s @3
Atthis point, if the mental powers be
allowed rest and. the fountains of care be
t,ly
the oyer-strain continue, the disease as
sumes still graver form. There is mad
dening desire for work, more work,
coupled with the sad sensation that the
physical powers are failing; and then
there are lapses Of memory. The man OF
business forgets important details, he Is
irritable, distrusts everybody and himself
most, makes mistakes, and yet persists in
accommodating more work on himself The
poet and novelist become over-sentimental
and morbid; the man troubled with re-
morse for guilt confesses his crime, or
commits suicide. The downward course
il rapid in one case epilepsy occurs, in
another paralysis, third developes some
hereditary malady like cancer, fourth
dies from nervous failure and local disease
of some vital organ. The majority, escap.
ing these special ends, become premature
ly old, and sink helplessly into death.
The brain becomes disorganized, the bal
ance is broken, and anarchy succeeds to
what once was order.
In every brain, in fact, there is set up
primitively kingly force, TO which all
other forces bend. The king may be
good or bad, he may be an hereditary king
or usurper, but he holds the balance
kill the king, and, in ninety-nine cases
out Of hundred, the kingdom is made
chaos and dark night. n-Seieatifc Amers-
can. @
Alaska.