The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-05-21
} Disturbed Brain.

very susceptible to many influences that
II easily repels IN after years. It doubles
its weight within the first three wears of
lifess 1t is not at birth SO we'll protected
as it wall be in a few later wears. It be-
gins its outer life with covering of .many
pieces. The angles at which some of
these parts meet are soft and yielding.
80 we need not wonder that commissions
or disturbances Of the brain are common
in infancy. Some infants are more la
BILE to them than Others Some have a
nervous system so easily. disquieted, that
easily digested food may so disturb the
allmentary canal as to cause sad results
OF convulsive character. As fast as the
brain increases in growth and firmness:
ana Its structure is more and more com
plete and able to resist many, adverse
circumstances Of the outer world, convul-
sions cease. As the, spasms r., begin, the
child utters a distressing shrek, peculiar
to the cerebral maladies of infancy. The
upper and lower limbs contract. All the
features OF the face are spasmodically dis
torted. The jaws strike violently and
firmly against each other and often Sc
verely wound the tongue. The eve lids
open widely. At first the child vomits
simply the contents Of it's stomach, but
soon elects a greenish mucous fluid.
Otherindications Of cerebral diseases sue
coed. The respiration is more unequal
and irregular The early indications
grow worse and worse. ... 4, e.
These and similar indications mean not
so much, Or, only that the nervous sys-
TEN is irritated and thrown into an al
normal state as that the brain itself, the
source and centre of all nerve power is
diseased. The bowels are more or less
disturbed. Nausea and vomiting occur
The pupils are more or less concealed
under the upper lid. The eye balls are
sometimes spasmodically drawn from
side to:side. The head is usually retract-
ed, all the limbs are alternately contract
ed and relaxed. The thumbs thrown
across the palms are more closely. clinch-
ed by the fingers than at first The pulse
and breath are fastened. The respira-
ton is usually irregular. Other abnor-
NAL conditions might be noted, but we
have given number sufficient to mark
the malady. 49,
Commissions are not hereditary, but a
tendency to them may be. They occur
in the initial stages Of eruptive maladies
as measles and scarletina. They are oc.
caslonally induced by the peculiar condi.
OF the mothers milk, produced by violent
emotions, as anger and deep grief. Slight
causes may induce this alarming malady
But whatever the immediate cause may
be, this result is Initiative of the nervous
system. The brain, as the scource of
nervous power, sympathizes with the irri-
tated organ. g.. -.
Commissions may not have premonitory
symptoms. Nothing occurs to warn the
mother Of what is soon to happen. The
child, from quiet state, passes at once
into convulsive one, usually, however
certain indications appear to those who
can interpret them. go. 49, ....~,E ,....,
The muscles around the mouth and ewes
may witch. The eyes may be fixed fol
few moments on some object, or on
vacancy. The thumbs may be drawn
across the palms. The fingers NAV
clinch them. The, child notices neither
words 1rl. nor persons. He soon changes the
direction Of his eyes, throwing them
Systematically upward, or squirting, for
a greater or less length of time. AS sad
and frightful as such commissions are to
the mother and her friends, they are less
alarming than they seem to be-. As soon
as the spasms begin, or earlier, the appar-
ent sufferer loses all sense OF pain, and is
really not a sufferer at all. Give him an
enema of spearmint tea, teaspoon of
warm castor oil and q verv worm hlonEo+
bath. Within ten to twenty minutes the
spasmodic action of the muscles will cease
and the child will fall into quiet sleep,
and within two hours, will awake re-
freshed and ready to indulge in his usual
plays. We do not mean that all convuls-
ions end so well. A large percentage Of
them do. Those nearly always do that
arise from mere irritation of the nervous
system. Now and then commissions may
arise from some disease of the brain it.
self. 2 zrs ..t.>a a.s,s.t @Fa.a<z g.. ~