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

DR.. s. Weir Mitchell, a physician OF
Philadelphia, Pa, has recently con-
ducted an important series OF very IN
teresting Investigations with refer
ence to the relations of bodily pam TO
the weather. It is an old popular laea
that disease and injuries OF the bones,
chronic rheumatisms, ana anclenI
wounds produce a renewed pam Oh
| the apnrOach of storm; so much SO,
indeed. that persons thus afflicted ire
ouently are able to predict impending
changes of weather with remarkable
accuracy. In the course OF study OF
many of the curious symptoms belong
inc to the stumps Of amputated limbs
Dr.. Mitchell frequently encountered
the above notion; and he became SO
impressed bv 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 Catlln,
U. S. A., who had lost a leg in action
during the war. and had become q
sufferer with neuralgia in the stump
the pain seemingly residing in por
lions 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 ano
charts, showing just how certain at
tacks correspond to certain periods OF
barometric depression and Other
| oo1 ,,boncnona Tn hrI If
he conducted his self-eXaminatiOl
with an accuracy and scientific thor
oughness which cannot be too highl.
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 storm
has adistinct foundation, but that, a
the single element of mischief has no
been detected, he is driven to believt
that it is the combination Of atmos
pheric conditions which starts TIN
pain into being. The separate factors
Of storms, such as lessened pressure
rising temperature, greater humldlt.
and winds, appear as rule to be IN
competent. when acting singly, to Civ
rise to attacks Of pain. Either 1T IS
as above stated, a combination Whlcl
provokes the pain, or it may be SOM
as yet unknown agency, acting alone
1t was observed by Captain Catlil
that his sensation Of pain prevailed
when the aurora was intense. Wheth
er this was due to the magnetic o
electric disturbance prevalent or t
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 i
sweeps across the continent, consist
of vast rain area, at the center 0
which is a moving space Of creates
barometric depression known as tn
: storm center, along which the storm
moves like bead on a thread. TIL
rain usually proceeds this by 600 miles
but before and around the rain lies
belt. which may be called the net
ralgic margin of the storm, and Whic
proceeds the rain by about $50 miles
This fact is very deceptive, becaus
the sufferer may be on the far edge Q
+ the storm basin of barOmetric depres
sion. and, seeing nothing OF the rain
may yet have pain due to the storm
: ut is somewhat Interestingly add
} Dr. Mitchell, '.to figure one sself thu
"a moving area of rain girdled by
] neuralgia belt $50 miles wide, With
: which, as it sweeps along in advanc
of the storm, prevail, in the hurt an
: MANNED limbs Of men and in tende
! nerves and rheumatic joints, renewe
! torments called into existence by tn
stir and perturbation Of theIelements.