Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-03-30

exists undecided by most sklllful physfc-
lans only 70. be developed by some sudden
occurrence. There was an eminent Aphy-
sician Of Brooklyn, IN active practice, who
died within an hour of time when he
Wis .sbout to lecture. He was 80 we'll,
that after examination by skilled physic+
ians of q FIRST class insurance company, he
was d sclared TO be perfectly sound, and d
policy for $40 900 insurance on his life
reached his home before his body was cold
TIE cause of his death was mystery until
the ppst-m0rtem examination, by l)r.
John q. johnson Of Brooklyn. showed
that little piece of chalky deposit in the
heart had become loosened and formed an
emb0lism. The man had simply taken
some specimens out of his desk. and he
died IN his chair without any excitement
or undue effort. Any little excitement
might have done it. The exertion OF grief
might have done it. and then his death
would have been cited as that from broken
heart.
"So-called deaths from brokenihearts
may be frequently traced in this way.
One exertion as well as another may fur
nish the requisite elimination. Medical
books are filled with instances of death by
heart disease during the performance of
pleasurable natural functions. When a
man is nearly dead it is easy to puton him
the finishing stroke, but it is inaccurate to
give the finishing stroke all the blame of
his death. When woman loses her hus-
band, or girl loses her lover, and BY ner-
vous exhaustion, loss OF sleep, lack OF
nourishment and grief, weakens the action
of her heart. she ls said to die of a broken
heart, but she has in fact died of very
ordinary disease.
1.-The case of Bill Poole, living for days
with ball in his heart. is often spoken
of as remarkable; but DR.. Flint records a
case where man had a ball in his heart
twenty years, and finally died of pneumo-
mia. R'th these men had healthy hearts,
and could not have lad them broken BY
grief. Yet. in fact, more me- than women
die of heart disease. Out of sixty-one OBJ
served cases thirty-seven were males
Another record showed seventeen males
out of twenty-four cases. Another record
showed that in sixty-two cases of rupture
of the heart there was fatty degeneration
existing. One observer recorded seven
teen cases out of twenty.four where the
heart was ruptured, and where fatty deg
eneration existed. In other words when
fat is substituted for muscle, the organ is
easily broken. If any of these diseased
people had been subjected to sudden grief
they might have furnished ilust rations of
heart breaking. One medical observer re.
cords 100 cases of rupture of the hearc
where there was no grief to account for
it. In fact, grief is very rare cause of
heart breaking.
disease is the real cause of heart break
ing, and the various kinds of disease VIII ch
lead to 1t are SO many that volumes would
be necessary to describe them. The caus-
rs of these diseases are manifold, and are
very much under the control of the indi-
vidual. There are, of course, hereditary
tendencies to heart disease; but aside from
traumatic causes. these tendencies may
exist for years without fat, result.
sit is curious fact that the least dan
gerous heart disease often creates the
most apprehension. Frequently patien's
who have only functional or durable dis
order will not be persuaded that calamity
does not impend. although there may be
no real danger. On the other hand, or
ganic disease may. exist unsupported
There are sympathetic relations between
the mind and the heart. aud disorders of
the heart are frequently able to men
tai excitement. either pleasurable or pain
full. Quick beating of the heart IS no GER
tain symptom of danger. 1t has been
demonstrated that tho pulse may safely
range from 100 to 140 per minute for many
years. IN. Y. Sun.