The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-10-10
Pain Is a Storm Indicator.

ANIA
lin. Uni1bd States Army. are aware that
he has IN. some sears been serving a
an animated barometer, 10 determine
problems With reference TO the relations
Of psin 80 weather, suggested BY that
eminent qlscialist in nervous disorders,
! 5. Weir Mitchell. n D.. Of Philadel-
phia.. CsRfain Catlin has Just published
report On his case, which was read be-
fore the College Of Physicians Of Phil
adelphia, 5une s, 1883. In an introduc-
ton to this Dr. Mitchell specifies some
Of the circumstances which peculiarly
fitted Capfain catlin for the service he
has undertaken in the cause Of medical
scienee. HI the first place, he Is the
victim Of tEsumatic neuralgia, resulting
frola the less of his foot. crushed in bat
tie bv a iound shot, in August, 1854.
Aside from the pain resulting from this
mnfiinkion, and which has been felt 81
.fEs1arvais.ever since in the lost foot, the
Observer Is in admirable health; "his
Attacks are 20 definite as TO coming and
eslhe S td create little difficulty in this
die8cf Con. and from 4 former position As
iastrletor IN eertaiR scientific branches
Il MeSt Point be is well qualified by
training 70 pursue this difhcult study.
II may add,' saws DR.. Mitchell, "that
TnsFpF knsx any plan more free from
anR hnleaQane attention 10 his own all
ments = and We may add that We never
knew 81 Ii man who bore his burden of
pain WITH more cheerful resignation and
philos1phx-
That this burden is by no means s
light one IS shown by the fact that the
total amount Of pain for the eight years
ending On January !, 1888. was l., ,944
hours. or nearly one fifth Of the time.
This is Captain Cstiin's calculation, but
as he is free from psin during sleep, the
proportion of pain during his waking
hours il more nearly one-ouarter. The
winter months it appears, hold the ad-
vantage as pain producers, and the pro-
portion while the sun was north.of the
equator was 6,7S3 hours against 6,16l
honrs while Il was south Of the equator.
March hassths lead among the months,
January being 3 close second, and No
vember, December, May, FEBRUARY,
April, August, October, September,
July, and June following in this order
The average duration of pain was found
to be greatest in February, POS hours,
the average for the whole time being
1897 hours. February is one of the
coldest, if not the coldest, Of months,
and contains probably the greatest
barometrie fluctuations of any month in
the year; low temperature and high
barometer producing pain, and extreme
barOmetrie undulations extending its
duration.
As the result of the observation Of
sixty well defined storms, through ten
consecutive months, ii appears that
storms announce their coming by the
twitching of Cap. Catlin's nerves when
the storm centre is at an average dis
tance of $50 miles, ranging from 200 to
200 miles. 'Storms from the Pacific
are felt the farthest of, very soon after
crossing the Rocky Mountains Those
which move long the coast from the
Gulf of Mexico are associated with neu-
ralgia not quite so intense, and are not
| felt as a rule until within the average
neuralgia distance"
Should the pain be on day of inter
mitting rain, it takes ON an additional
activity just before theincreasing shower,
and continues twenty TO forty minutes
this will sometimes happen four or five
times in twelve hours. Each little in.
crement of pain seems to bear about the
same relation to the showers as the
main attack bears to the storm. Eating
a meal hastens an attack and intensi
fies it when on. Eating, for example
at a. m. brings on at 9 4. m. an attack
not due until 10 O'Clock. There is an
ebb tide of pain just preceding meals
and storms coming within range during
the early and the middle sleeping hours
do not ordinarily arouse their victim,
but delay their attack until sleep becomes
less profound, thus following the ordi-
nary rule that victim OF pain does not
experience an attack until after brief
release from the influence of the an@s-
thetic sleep. Intense auroral periods
are also believed TO produce the pain.
As to treatment, Capt. Catlin says:
There has been no treatment in a med.
ieal way of late. | have had good
health, take a great deal of exercise
but in a rather irregular way; my appe-
tite is always good and ! sleep well, ex
cept when the disturbance of neuralgia
interferes. Physical exercise, nutritious
food (have found milk most fattening oi
ALI, and light, agreeable occupations are
found, the best regimen for neural
gic subject"
Diagrams illustrating the relation be
1 tween neuralgic pains and tine barome
ter accompany this brochure, which, il
the opinion of that competent author
ity, DR.. Mitchell, constitutes most val
liable contribution TO the strict sciencl
of medicine. 1t is unfortunate tha
any officer should be subject to such al
experience as Capt. Catlin has had fo
nearly twenty years; it is fortunate that
finding no escape from it, he shoult
have the patience and zeal for sciencl
which have prompted him 10 make hi
own experiences available for the ben
eft of other sufierers.-Army and Nav
Il