The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-05-04
why Hearts Break.
A Physicians Matter-of-Fact Solution of
the vexing Problem.
ISan Francisco Alta callfornia !

loSsh PIuuclsoo Alta Caltfornla.
"a healthy man or woman does not die of
broken heart, well-known physician
said. "a healthy heart is only big muscle,
and nobody can have grief enough 10 break
1t. When, therefore, blooming young
widow shows apparently inconceivable grief
at the death of her husband, and In short
time RECEIVERS her equanimity, she ought not
to be accused of hypocrisy. Neither may it
be concluded that another widow who soon
pines and dies has more affection for her
husband than the first. The first widow
may have even more affection than the 9th
or, but have been sustained by physical
health
at is erroneous to suppose that death by
heart disease is always sudden. It is very
commonly protracted for years, and exists
undecided by most skilful physicians only
to be developed by some sudden occurrence.
There was an eminent physician of Brook
Ign, in active practice, who died within an
hour OF the time when he was about to lee
ture. He was so wen, that after examlna-
ton by skilled physicians of first-class in
suranee company, he was declared perfectly
sound, and policy for $40, 600 insurance on
his life reached his home before his body
was cold. The cause Of death was mys-
terry until the post mortem examination, by
DR.. John G. Johnson, of Brooklyn, showed
that little piece Of chalky deposit in the
heart had become loosened and formed an
embolism. The man had simply taken
some specimens out of his desk, and he died
in his chair without any excitement or an
due effort. Any little excitement might
| have done it, and then his death would have
| been cited as that from broken heart
deaths sF0p Dgq ag hs9Et s sses
1on as we'll as another may furnish the
requisite elimination. Medical books are
filled with instances Of death by heart dis.
ease during the performance of pleasmable
functions When man is nearly dead il Is
easy to put on him the finishing stroke. but
it is inaccurate to give the finishing touch
all the blame of his death. When a woman
loses her husband, or girl loses her lover
and by nervous exhaustion loss of sleep,
lack OF nourishment, and grief, weakens the
action OF her heart, she is 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 ten
days with ball in his heart, is often spoken
of as remarkable, but DR.. Flint records a
case where man had ball in his heart
twenty years, and finally died with pneumo-
MIA. Both these men had healthy hearts,
and could not have had them broken by
grief Yet, in fact, more women than men
die OF heart disease. Out of sixty-one OBJ
served cases, thirty-seyen were males.
Another record showed that in sixty-two
cases of rupture of the heart, there was fatty
degeneration existing. One observer record
ed seventeen cases out of twenty-four where
the heart was ruptured and where fatty de-
generation existed. In other words, where
lat IS substituted for muscle, the organ is
easily broken. If any of these people had
been subjected to sudden grief, they might
have furnished illustrations of heart. break
ing. One medical observer records 100 cas-
es of rupture of the heart where there was
no grief to account for it. In fact, grief is a
very rare cause of heart-breaking.
Disease is the real cause of heart-break-
ing, and the various kinds of disease which
lead to it are so many tina. volumes would
be necessary to describe them. The causes
OF these diseases are manifold, and are very
much under the control of the individual.
There are, of course, hereditary tendencies
to heart disease; but, aside from traumatic
causes, these tendencies may exist for years
without fatal result.
1T is a curious fact that the least danger
Gus heart disease often creates the most APP
prehensions. Frequently patients y no have
only functional or durable disorder will
not be persuaded that calamity does not i'm
pend, although there may be no real danger.
On the other hand, organic diseases may ex-
Isl unsupported. There are sympathetic re-
lations between the mind and the heart. and
disorders of the heart are frequently tracea-
bic TO mental excitement, either pleasurable
or painful Quick beating of the heart is no
certain symptom Of danger. 1t has been
demonstrated that the pulse may safely range
from 100 to I40 per minute for many years.