The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-11-01
What PARALYSIS Is.

sion; but Tor all that, 1t Is probable that
q vast majority of the people who think
at all Of paralysis reckon that it is dis
ease of itself. That some medical men
so regard this condition is plain from
the fact that deaths are frequently certi-
fed to have been caused by it. The in
correctness of this notion 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: ga
brachial monoplegia from muscle tire"
which means simply that the man has
overweight his hammerarm, and it
needs rest. To these cases the very ap-
propriate name of ARTISANS palsy is
given. Again, apoOrblooded, nervous
reconstructed person, most likely
woman, meets with great shock, or
has to endure an unusual and pro-
longed mental or physical effort. Soon,
and perhaps without warning, the indi-
vidual loses the use of some part of the
body, often of the vocal apparatus, and
the patient is unable to speak above a
whisper. The doctor says ''hysterical
paralysis" or ''hysterical aphonia. :"
loss of voice Now just how this comes
about we fancy it would puzzle the
most learned doctor to say. Concern
ing this condition, however, as well as
the one before mentioned, this much is
known, viz: that by appropriate treat
ment they recover perfectly and
promptly, very good evidence that no
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-
Gated person will fall asleep with the
head resting upon an 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 affected those nerves so that they
are unable to perform their usual duty.
The nerves which 90 out from the
brain and spinal cord to the eXtremi
ties are quite comparable to the wires
which are stretched from place to place
for electric communication, and pres
sure upon one section of those nerves
produces results very like those which
follow 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 OF spinal cord or the
nerves which have their exit there
from will produce a palsy whose eX-
tent will depend upon the extent of the
pressure, and whose durability will de-
pend upon the chances for removing
the pressure. Pressure upon the nerves
which supply one side of the face pro-
duces very characteristic paralysis,
and one that causes many laughable
mistakes on the part of the tyros and
nOn-professional people by their at
tempt to detect the affected side.
Pressure upon the brain or spinal cord
is mostly due to the presence of tu-
mors, 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 9th.
er acute sicknesses are frequently
paralyzed in some part. These cases
generally recover by appropriate treat
ment, and it is quite probable that
many cases would recover spontane-
Ously. The remarks before made con-
corning certain cases which recov-
er will apply equally to the cases just
named.
People who work in lead are liable to
peculiar form of paralysis, which is
first seen, as a 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 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 arsenic
and mercury, probably by their action
upon the nerve structure of the spinal
cord. Woorara, the Indian arrow
poison, will also produce paralysis if
introduced into the system in sufficient
quantities. The paralyzing effect of
large doses of alcohol is well known.
Certain conditions of the circulatory APP
paratus predispose to extensive 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 unusual quantity
of blood in the brain one of these now
elastic tubes is broken, the poured-out
blood clots, as before mentioned, and a
paralysis Immediately follows.
Owing to certain systemic conditions
fibrin, a substance normally suspended
in the blood, lodges upon the flood
the heart. Presently
a part of this matter is dislodged
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 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