The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-09-06
AaaeFapn. ] gatelligeaeer.
WHAT PARALYSIS Is.
Interesting and Profitable Medical Read
Ing for Non.NIedIcal People.

So common has become the occurrence
OF paralysis in recent years, that many
use the word for slang expression but
for all that, it is probable that vast
majority Of the people who think at all
of paralysis reckon that it is a disease Of
itself. That some medical men so regard
this condition. il plain from the fact that
deaths are frequently certified TO have
been caused by it. The incorrectness OF
this notion will, however, be plain when
the conditions which give rise to paraly-
sis are clearly set FORTH and this wc now
propose.
A carpenter, blacksmith or some other
mechanic, whose business requires him
to weld hammer, finds some morning
that he il unable TO raise his hammer
arm, or perhaps while at work, the man
suddenly feels his arm become numb and
weaF, it falls to his side, and he is no
longer able to work. The doctor to
whom the man applies, says q "brachial
monopegia from muscle tire" which
means simply that the man has over.
wrought his hammer arm and it needs
rest. To these cases the very appropri'
ate name of ARTISANS palsy" is given.
structed person, most likely woman,
meets with great shock, or has to endure
an unusual and prolonged mental or
physical effort. Soon, and perhaps
without warning, the individual loses
the use Of some part Of the body, often
the vocal apparatus, and the patient is
unable to speak above whisper. The
doctor says "fys,erical paralysis" or
"hysterical apnonia," loss of voice.
Now Just how this comes about We fancy
it would puzzle the most learned doctor
to say. Concerning this condition, how
ever, as we'll as the one before mentioned,
this much is known, viz: that by
appropriate treatment they recover per-
fect!y and promptly, very good evidence
that np part Of The nervous apparatus is
broken. The faith cures reported from
time to time are probably cases Of the
kind last mentioned.
1t sometimes happens that an intoxi-
head resting upon the arm hanging over
chair back. When the person awakens,
the arm is numb; it tingles and il paral.
yzed-another "brachal menoplegia,"
but really pressure upon the trunks of
the nerves which supply the disabled
member, has affected those nerves 30 that
they are unable TO perform their usual
duty. The nerves which 60 out from
the brain and spinal cord to the extrem.
tiles, are quite comparable to the wires
which are stretched from place to place
for electric communication, and pressure
upon one section Of those nerves pro-
duces results very like those which fol
low an interference with the wire. The
case just given, illustrates very well a
large number Of cases of palsy from
pressure, for pressure upon the brain or
spinal cord, or the nerves which have
their exit therefrom, will produce palsy,
whose extent will depend upon the
extent Of the pressure, and whose cura.
bility depends upon the chances for re.
moving the pressure. Pressure upon the
nerves which supply one side of the face
produces very characteristic paralysis,
and one that causes many laughable mis-.
takes on the part of tyros and non-pro.
fessional people, by their attempts to
detect the affected side. Pressure upon
the brain or spinal cord is mostly due to
the presence of tumors, to fractures OF
the skull or bones of which the back
bone is formed, and to blood. clots with.
in the skull or spinal canal. Patients
who recover from diphtheria, scarlet fever,
and some other acute sicknesses are fire..
quently paralyzed in some part. These
cases generally recover by appropriate
treatment, and it ia quito probable that
many cases would recover spontaneously
The remarks before made concerning
certain cases which recover, will apply
equally to the cases just named.
People who work ID lead are liable to
peculiar form of paralysis, which is
first seen, az rule, in the muscles Of the
forearm, on account Of which the patient
is unable to extend the hand upon the
arm. At times the whole muscular sys.
tenn ID involved. Change Of occupation,
and the use Of remedies which will assist
the elimination of the mineral from the
system, is tho proper course for such
patients. Analogous forms of paralysis
are caused by arsenic and mercury, prob.
ably by their action upon the nerve struc.
ture of the spinal cord. Woorara, the
Indian arrow poison, will also produce
paralysis il introduced into the system
in sufficient quantities. The pa-alyzing
effect of large doses OF alcohol are we'll
known. Certain conditions of the cir
culatory apparatus predispose to ex,en.
sive and often Eincurabfe paralysis. Tho
arteries are elastic tubes. By age, hard
work, care, and the prolonged use of
alcoholic drinks, these tubes lose their
elasticity, and become brittle. BY some
event, which determines an unusual
quantity of blood to the brain, one of
these now elastic tubes is broken, the
poured out blood clots, as before men.
toned, and a paralysis Immediately
follows.
Owing to certain Systematic conditions,
tibrin, substance normally suspended
in the blood, lodges upon the food. gates
-valves--of the heart. Presently a
part Of this matteris dislodged and wash.
ed into the blood perchance it reaches
an artery in the brain, which will not
permit it 20 pass. This at once cuts off
the blood supply from part of the
brain, one of the immediate symptoms
of which is palsy of the part OF the
body which receives its nervous supply
from that portion of the brain. These
paralyses are usually extensive, and are
not readily distinguished from those
just mentioned.
The presence of worms in the bowels
of children, is believed to produce par.
alysis, in some cases. But such cases
being due to known removable cause,
are described as reflex paralysis. These
are not seen alone in children, but in
adults as we'll. Finally, change in the
structure of the brain or spinal cord
produces paralysis, varying in extent
with the extent of nerve structure in.
volved. Such paralyses are especially
obstinate in those Of advanced years.
Change of structure in the spinal cord
usually produces disability in the legs.
Nav Il