The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-06-29
What Paralysis is.
SOME INTERESTING AND PROFITABLE
MEDICAL READING FOR NON
MEDICAL PEOPLE.

So common has become the occur
renee of paralysis in recent years that
many use the word for a slang express
sion but for all that it is probable that
a vast majority of the people who
think Mt all of paralysis reckon that il is
a disease of itself That some medi-
cal men so regard this condition is
plain from the fact that deaths are fire.
quently certified to have been caused
by it. The incorrectness of this no
ton will, however, be plain when the
conditions which give rise to paralysis
are clearly set forth, and this we now
propose.
A carpenter, blacksmith or some me
chanic, whose business requires him TO
WELD hammer finds some morning
that he is unable to raise his hammer
arm, or perhaps while at work the man
suddenly feels his arm become numb
and weak, it falls to his side and he is
no longer able to work The doctor to
whom the man applies says "brachal
monoplegia from muscle tire which
means simply that the man has over
wrought his hammer arm and it needs
rest. To these causes the very appro-
pirate name of ARTISANS palsy" is given.
Again, poor -blooded, nervously-co
structed person, most likely woman,
meets with great shock or has to en-
dure 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
of the vocal apparatus, and the patient
is unable tospeak above whisper. The
doctor says "hysterica paralysis" or
'hysterical aphonia,' loss of voice. Now
Just how this comes about we fancy it
would puzzle the most learned doctor
to say Concerning the condition,
however, as well as the one before
mentioned, this much is known, viz.
that by appropriate treatment they re-
cover perfectly and promptly. very
good evidence that no part of the ner-
vous apparatus is broken. The faith
cures reported from time to time are
probably cases of the kind last men,
toned
1t sometimes happens that an intoxi-
head resting upon the arm or with the
arm hanging over a chair back. When |
the person wakens the arm is numb ;
it tingles and is paralyzed-another
"brachial monoplegia," but really pres
sure upon the trunks of the nerves
which supply the disabled member has
effected those nerves so that they are |
Ia 20, al l,t
The nerves which go out from the
brain and spinal cord to the extrcmi-
ties are quite comparable to the wires
which are stretched from place to place
for electric communication, and pres
sure upon or section of those nerves
produces results very like those which
follow an interference with the wire.
The case just given illustrates very
well 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 |,
durability will depend upon the chances
for removing the pressure. Pressure
upon the nerves which supply one side
of the face produces very characteris-
tic paralysisIand one that cuauses many
laughable mistakes on the part of tyros
and non-professional people by their
attempts to detect the affected side. |
Pressure upon the brain or spinal cord
is mostly due to the pressure of tumors,
to fractures of the skull or bones of |
which the backbone is formed and to
blood clots within the skull or spinal
canal. Patients who recover from
diphtheria, scarlet fever and some
other acute sickness are frequently pa
ralyzed in some part. These cases gen
orally recover by appropriate treatment
and it is quite probable that many
cases would recover spontaneously.
The remarks before made concerning
certain cases which recover well applies
equally to the cases just named.
People who work in lead are liable to |
a peculiar form of paralysis, which is
first seen, as rule, in the muscles of |
the forearm, on account of~which the |
PATIENTS unable to extend the hand |
upon the arm. AT times the whole !
muscular system is involved. Change |
of occupation and the use of remedies |
which will assist the elimination of the |
mineral from the system is the proper
course for such patients Analogous
forms of paralysis are caused by arse
mic and mercury probably by their ac-
tion upon the nerve structure of the
spinal cord. Woorara, the Indian ar
row poison, will also produce paralysis
if introduced into the system in sufii-
cient quantities. The paralyzng ef-
feet OF large doses of alcohol are we'll
known. Certain conditions of the cir
culatory apparatus predispose to extern
sive and often incurable paralysis. The
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 unus-
ual quantity of blood to the brain one of
these now inelastic tubes is broken, the
poured-out blood elots, as before men
toned, and paralysis Immediately fol
lows.
Owing to certain systematic condi
tions fibrin, substance normally sus.
pended in the blood, lodges upon the
flood-gates-valves-of the heart.
Presently part of this matter is dis
lodged and washed away into the blood;
perchance it reaches an artery in the
brain which will not permit it to pass.
This at once cuts off the blood supply
from part of the brain, one of the i'm
mediate 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 distin-
guished from those just mention
ed
Tae presence of worms in the bow
els of children is believed to produce
paralysis in some cases Such cases
being due to known removable cause
are described as reflex paralysis. These
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