The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-08-06
FAMILY MEDICINE.
How Muscular rheumatism Begins and
How IL May He Cured.


How Muscular Rheumatism Begins and
How Il May He Cured.
Muscular rheumatism usually COM 4
mences as an acute disease, but exhibits
q decided tendency to become chronic. |
| II may effect any of the muscles of the '
limbs or trunk, but Is far moro likely to
occur In certain situations than In
others- The seizures are not uncom-
monty quite sudden-for example, the
patient may find on awaking In the
morning that he Is unable to mako q
certain movement, or to perform some
the most exquisite pain. Usually there
b no pain while the muscles of the part
are quiet, but the slightest movement
sufflces to excite parOxysm. On ex-
amining the seat of suffering nothing
can as n rule be detected, but some
times there Is q slight tenderness on
pressure. There Is often no fever or
constitutional disturbance-at all events
at first; but rs the complaint progresses
there may be thirst, loss of appetite,
and even considerable elevation Of tenn
perature, as the result OF the long-con-
tinued pain and the want ofsleep which
itoccasions. We know very little re-
spectiHg the causes of muscular rheu-
with In psople of full adult age, and not
uncommonly in individuals of q equity
habit, Exposure to cold and damp,
and the overuse of the affected part,
may act as exciting causes. One attack
ofthe disease engenders q liability tQjts
return. The duration of the complaint
cannot be definitely fixed. AS an acute
disease il is usually of brief duration,
but In the chronic forms 1t often proves
very rebellious to treatment, and its
duration may be protracted almost in
definitely.
Muscular rheumatism Is not confined
to any particular region OF the body, but
may occur In almost any locality. The
principal varieties are lumbago and
&ick in the neck, and we shall now
speak of the treatment OF lumbago. This
q rheumatic affection of the muscles
Of the loins, those on one or both sides
Being involved. It is frequently very
sndden In It's mode of onset, the pain
seizing the patient "all Of moment"
The pain h usually increased by every
movement of the lower part Of the spine,
and by pressure upon the muscles of
the affected part. It Is not uncommon
TO sec patients with lumbago leaning
award and walking almost double.
II they are told to touch their toes"
they generally express their inability to
do so, although in many cases 1t appears
on investigation that the pain is caused
not 80 much by bending down as by the
effort to get up again. Sometimes. how
ever, the mere effort Of STOPPING is very
painful.
The remedies for lumbago are, as
might be supposed, chiefly local. There
are. however, other methods of treat
ment which are often attended with
satisfactory results. When the pain is
very severe, relief may, in the majority
of cases, be obtained almost Immediately
BY an injection of morphia under the
skin. This is a fact which has been
known to medical men and extensively
employed for many years. The only
objection that can be urged against it is,
Chat In many people morphia gives rise
70 headache, gfddiness and other I'M
pleasant symptoms. Quite recently
French physician made a somewhat
curious discovery. he had patient
hypodermic iplecti0pSa but always
with the production Of o train of I'M
pleasant constitutional symptoms. One
day the patient called to say how glad
he was to find he had made some alter
aflou In The medicine, for the last in
lection had relieved the pain as usual,
but had not produced any headache or
giddiness. The doctor at once declared
6hat he had used the same morphia
solution as usual, and In order to con,
vince the patient, sent for the bottle to
show him. On examination the bottle
was found to contain nothing but water,
and on inquiry being instituted the SER
Vsnt confessed that some days before
she had accidently upset the bottle and
spilled the contents, and that fearing
detection she had filled 10 with water.
The doctor at once saw that the fact was
discovery to the world. 1t then ap-
peared from the testimony of numerous
trustworthy observers that even the
water was not essential, that 1t was the
puncture with the needle which did
good, and that equal benefit might be
obtained without the injection of any
substance at all.
CRICK IN THE NECK.
Crick In the neck, stiff neck, or, to
use the technical term, torticOllis, is
usually the result of cold or of ex-
posture of the affected part to current
Of cold air. The pain is sometimes In
the back OF the neck, but more fire.
quentIy 1t affects only one side. the pa
tient being In the latter case compelled
70 hold his head awry in order to relax
his muscles. A patient suffering from
stiff leck not uncommonly presents a
somewhat comical appearance, and is
ridicule and Joking but for I all
that the complaint Is very painful
one. and Is sometimes very intracta.
Bic to treatment. A staff neck in
children 10 not uncommonly the cause
OF . considerable elevation of tempera-
cure, the fever lasting three or four days
Or more. When the pain of acute tor
dcoilis Is very great 1t may be neces-
sary to endeavor 70 obtain relief by the
administration Ola hypodermic injec-
fion Of morphia. Local applications,
however, not unfrequently prove sue
cessful. Hot lamentations are very
valuable, as, for example, a piece of
spongiopiline wrung out of hot water
and applied either alone or sprinkled
with laudanum. or bslladonna llni-
pent. OF a combination Of the two.
Turpentine often proves useful in these
cases. Over flannel wrung out of hot
water q little turpentine should be
sprinkled and applied till 1t produces
Eedness, tingling and smartlng. It Is
well to bear In mind that as the smart
ing arising from the turpentine goes ON
augmenting for some time after It's re-
moval. the application should be kept
on only just sufficiently long TO excite
u moderate degree OF pain.
THE BEST REMEDIES.
Undoubtedly one Of the best remedies
for stiff neck Is an infusion of capsi-
cum, red pepper or chillies. as II is
sometimes called. The mode of prep,
arati9n and application is sufficiently