The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-11-21
The Daily Bulletin.
WHAT PARALYSIS Is.
Interesting and Profitable Medical Read
ing for Non Medical People

sion; but for all that, it is probable
that a vast majority of the people who
think at all of paralysis reckon that it
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 notion
will, however, be plain when the con-
ditions which gives rise to paralysis are
clearly set forth, and this we now pro-
pose.
A carpenter, blacksmith, or some
mechanic whose business requires him
to WELD a 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:
IA brachial monoplegia from muscle
tire which means simply that the
man has overweight his hammer
arm. and it needs rest To these cases
the very appropriate name OF "artl-
sans palsy" is given. Again, poor
blooded, nervousl reconstructed person,
most likely woman, meets with a
great shock, or has to endure an unu-
sual 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 UNI
able to speak above a whisper. The
doctor says 'hysterical paralysis, y or
"hysterical aphonia," loss OF voice.
Now Just how this comes about we
fancy it would puzzle the most learned
doctor to say. Concerning this condi-
ton, however, as well as the one be-
fore mentioned, this much is known,
viz: That by appropriate treatment
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 chair back. When
the person wakens the arm is numb; it
tngles and is paralyzed another
"brachial monoplegia, but really
pressure 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
pressure 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 large number OF cases OF
palsy from pressure, for pressure upon
the brain or spinal cord or the nerves
produce 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 the tyros and non-proies-
sional people by their attempt 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
within the skull or spinal canal. Pa
TENTS who recover from diphthcrla,
scarlet fever and some other acute
sicknesses are frequently paralyzed in
some part. These eases generally re-
cover by appropriate treatment, and it
is quite 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 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 patient is unable to extend the
hand upon the arm. At times the
whole muscular system is involved.
NidIDc vi ocCNIluliOU anu l1t use Vi
remedies which will assist the elimina-
ton Of the mineral from the system is
the proper course for such patients
Analogous forms of paralysis are
caused by arsenic aud mercury, prob
ably by their action upon the nerve
structure of the spinal cord. Woorara,
the Indian arrow poison, will also pro-
duce paralysis if introduced into the
system in sufficient quantities. The
| paralyzing effect of large doses of al
cohol is well known. Certain condi-
tlons of the circulatory apparatus pre-
dispose 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 be-
come brittle BY some event which
determines an unusual quantity OF
blood in the brain one of these now in
elastic tubes is broken, the poured-out
blood clots, as before mentioned, and
a paralysis Immediately follows.
Owing to certain systematic condi
tions iibrin, substance normally suS
pended in the blood, lodges upon the
ilood-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 tc
pass. This at once cuts off the blood