The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-09-08
What Paralysis 10.


many use the word for slang express
sion; but for all that 1t Is probable that
a vast majority Of the people who think
at all or paralysis reckon that 1t is q
disease Of itself. That some medical
men 80 regard this condition is 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 paralysis are clearly
set forth, and this we llow propose.
A carpenter, blacksmith or some
mechanic, whose business requires him
to WELD hammer, finds some mGYn..
ing that he is unable TO- raise his ham.
mer arm, or perhaps Wiiile atHworls tie
man suddenly feels his, arm become
numb and veak, it falls to his side and
ile as no longer able to work. The
doctor to whom the man applies says a
''brachial monoplegia from muscle
tire," which means simply that the
man has OverwrOught his hammer arm
and it needs rest. To these casey the
very appropriated name of ARTISANS
palsy" is given. Again, apoor- -blooded,
nervously-constructed person, most
likely woman, meets with Il great
shock or has to endure al unusual and
prolonged mental OF 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 to
speak above whisper. The doctor
says "hysterical paralysis" or 'hysteri-
Cal aphonia," loss of voice. Now lust
how this comes about we fancy it would
puzzle the most learned doctor to say.
Concerning this condition, however, as
well as the one before mentioned, this
much is known, viz: that by appropri-
ate treatment they recover perfectly
and promptly, very good evidence that
no part OF the nervous apparatus is
broken. The faith cures mentioned
from time to time are probably cases
of the kind last mentioned.
1t sometimes happens that an intox-
icated person will fall asleep with the
head resting upon the arm or with the
arm hanging over 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 go out from the
brain and spinal cord to the extremities
are quite cOmparableE to the wires
which are stretched from place to
place for electric communication and
pressure upon or section of those nerves
produces results very like those which
follow an interference with the wire.
The. case just given illustrates very
we'll large number of cases-of palsy
from pressure, for pressure upon the
brain or spinal chord or the nerves
which have their exit therefrom will
produce a palsy whose extent will de-
pend 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 a very
characteristic paralysis and one that
causes many laughable mistakes on the
part OF tyros and on-professlonal peO-
pie by their attempts to detect the af-
fected side. Pressure upon the brain
or spinal chord is mostly due to the
presence Of tumOrs, to fractures of the
skull or bones of which tile backbone
is formed and to blood clots within the
skull or spinal canal Patients who
recover from dipther,a, scarlet fever
and some other acuts sicknesses are
frequently paralyzed in some part.
These cases generally recover by ap-
proprlate treatment, and . it is quite
probable that many cases would re-
cover spontaneously. The remarks
before made concerning certain cases
which recover we'll applies equally to
the cases just mentioned.
People who work in lead are liable
to a 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 elimina-
tion Of the mineral from the system is
tho proper course for such patients.
Analogous forms OF paralysis arc caused
by arsenic ard mercury, probably by
their action upon the nerve structure
Of the spinal cord. W0orara, the In
dian arrow poison, will also produce
paralysis if introduced into the system
in sufficient quantities. The paraiysing
effect of large doses Of alcohol arc well
known. Certain conditions OF the cir
culatory apparatus predispose to extern
sive and often incurable par,lysis.
The arteries arc lastic tubes. Byage,
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 inelastic tubes is
broken, the poured-out blood clots, as
before mentioned, and paralysis i'm
mediately follows.
Owing to certain systematic condi-
tions hbrin, Il substance normally sus-
pended In the blood, lodges upon the
ii0od-gatps - valves - of the heart.
Presently part of this matter is dis
lodged and washed way into the blood;
perchance it reaches an artery in the
brain which will not permit it to pass.
This at once cuts of the blood supply
from 4 part Of the brain. These pa-
ralyses 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 pa
ralysis in some cases. Such cases
being due to known removable cause
are described as reflex paralyses. These
are not seen alone in children, but in
adults as well. Finally, change in the
at, NJ. - 4 l.