The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-06-14
NEuRALclc STORM BELTS.

DR.. s. Weir Mitchell, a physician OF
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, has recently con-
dncted an important series OF very IN
teresting Investigations with REFER
ence to the relations Of bodily PAIN TO
the weather. 1t is an old popular idea
| that disease and injuries OF the bones,
chronic rheumatisms, and anclenC
wounds produce a renewed pain on
the approach Of a storm; SO much SO,
indeed, that persons thus afihcted ire
quently are able to predict Impending
| changes of weather with remarkable
| accuracy. In the course of study OF
many Of the curious symptoms belong
ing to the stumps Of amputated limbs
Dr.. Mitchell frequently encountered
the above notion; and he became so
impressed by the repeated testimony
Of patients, whostated that their COM
fort depended largely on the state OF
the weather, that he resolved to under
take careful research into the subject.
He was fortunate enough to obtain
the cooperation of Captain Catlin,
u. S. A., who had lost a leg in action
during the war, and had become
sufferer with neuralgia in the stump,
the pain seemingly residing In por-
tions Of the absent foot. This officer
kept records of his painful sensations,
with the weather reports as shown by
the Signal Service, for three years;
and he prepared elaborate maps and
charts, showing just how certain at.
tacks correspond to certain periods OF
barometric depression and other
meteorological phenomena. In brief,
he conducted his determination
with an accuracy and scientific thor
oughness which cannot be too highly
commended.
The result now adduced by DR..
Mitchell is that there is every reason
to believe that the popular view
which relates some pain fits to storms
has adistinct foundation, but that, as
the single element of mischief has not
been detected, he is driven to believe
that it is the combination Of atmOs
pheric conditions which starts the
pain into being. The separate factors
of storms, such as lessened pressure
rising temperature, greater humidity
and winds, appear as a rule to be in
competent, when acting singly, to give
rise to attacks of pain. Either it is
as above stated, a combination WHICH
prOvokes the pain, or it may be some
as yet unknown agency, acting alone
1t was observed by Captain Catli1
that his sensation of pain prevailed
when the aurora was intense. Wheth
er this was due to the magnetic OF
electric disturbance prevalent or tx
the succeeding storm, DR.. Mitchell
thinks is questionable.
About the most striking conclusion
reached is that relating to the neural
gic storm belt. Every storm, as il
sweeps across the continent, consist:
of vast rain area, at the center O.
which is a moving space of creates
barometric depression known as thu
storm center, along which the storms
moves like bead on thread. The
rain usually proceeds this by 600 miles
but before and around the rain lies
belt, which may be called the neu
ralgic margin of the storm, and which
proceeds the rain by about $50 miles
This fact is very deceptive, because
the sufferer may be on the far edge o
the storm basin of barometric depres
sion, and, seeing nothing Of the rain
may yet have pain due to the storm
''It is somewhat interesting add
DR.. Mitchell, 'sto figure one sself thus
"a moving area of rain girdled by
! neuralgia belt $50 miles wide, withil
which, as it sweeps along in advanc
Of the storm, prevail, in the hurt AM
: MANNED limbs of men and in tende
! nerves and rheumatic joints, renewe
| torments called into existence by tn
stir and perturbation of Indictments.