National Republican., 1883-10-05
WHAT PARALYSIS Is.
Interesting and Profitable Medical Read
ing for Non-nIedicaI People.


Interesting and Profitable Medical Read
ing for Non-nIedicaI People.
SO common has become the occurrence of
paralysis in recent years that many uso tho
word for slang expression /; but for oil that,
it is probable that vast majority of the peo-
pie who think at all of paralysis reckon that it
is disease of ITSELF That some medical men
so 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 con-
ditions which give rise to paralysis are clearly
set FORTH and this we now propose.
A carpenter blacksmith, or some mechanic
whose business requires him TO WELD n ham
mer finds some morning that he is unable to
raise his hammer arm, or perhaps while at
| work tn e 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 "brachial monoplegia
| from muscle tire" which means simply that
the man has overweight his hammer arm,
and il needs rest. To these cases the very ap-
| propriatc name of ARTISANS palsy" is given.
! Again. poor blooded, nervously constructed
person, most likely woman, meets with
! great shock or has to endure an unusual and
| prolonged mental OF physical effort. Soon and
perhaps without warning tho individual loses
| the use of some part of the body, often of the
vocal apparatus, and the patient is unable TO
| speak above q whisper. The doctor says
"hysterical paralysis" or "hysterical apho-
nia"--loss of voice. Now just how this comes
| about we fancy it would puzzle the most
| learned doctor to say Concerning this con-
dition, however as we'll as the ono before
mentioned, this much is known, viz that by
appropriate treatment they recover perfectly
and promptly; very good evidence that no
part of tho 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 intoxicated
person will fall asleep with the head resting
upon the arm or with the arm hanging over
a chair back. When tho person wakeus the
arm is numb il tingles and is paTalyZed-
another "bracbial menoplegia." 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 go out
from tho brain and spinal cord to the exc
| tremities arc 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 we'll q large number of cases of palsy
from pressure, for pressure upon the brain or
spinal cord or the nerves which have their exit
therefrom will produce palsy whose extent
will dependupon the extent ofthe pressure and
whose durability will depend upon tho
chances for removing the pressure. Pressure
upon the nerves which supply one side of the
face produces very characteristic paralysis,
and one that causes many laughable mistakes
on the part of tyros and non-professional peo-
pie by their attempts 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
backbone is formed, and to blood clots within
the skull or spinal canal. Patients who re-
cover from diphthera, scarlet fever, and some
other acute sicknesses are frequently par
alyzed in some part. These cases generally
recover by appropriate treatment, and it is
quito 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 OK
tend the hand upon the arm. AT times the
whole muscular system Is involved Change
| of occupation aud tho 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 arc
caused by arsenic and mercury probably by
their action upon tho nerve structure of the
spinal cord. Woorara, tho Indian arrow poison
will also produce paralysis if introduced
4
paralyzing effect of large doses Of alcohol aie
well known. Certain conditions Of the circu
latory apparatus predispose to extensive and
often incurablo 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 TO the brain one of these
now inelastic tubes Is broken tho poured out
blood clots, as before mentioned and paraly-
sis Immediately follows.
Owing to certain systemic conditions fibrin
a substance normally suspended in the blood
lodges upon the flood gates-valves--of the
heart. Presently part of this matter is dis
lodged and washed away into the blood por.
chance IL reaches an artery in the brain which
will not permit il 10 pass. This at once cuts
OF tho blood supply from part of the brain
one Of the immediate symptoms of which il
palsy Of the part of the body which receives
, its nervous supply from that portion of the
brain. These paralyses are usually extensive
, and arc not readily distinguishable from those
, Just mentioned.
The presence of worms in tho bowels Of
2 children is believed to produce paralysis in
: somo cases. Such cases being due to known
removable cause are described as reflex par
, alysos. These arc not seen alone III children
I, but in adults as we'll. Finally, change in the
structure Of the brain or spinal cord produces
paralysis, varying in extent with tho extent
! Of nerve structure involved. Such paralysis
are especially obstinate in those of advanced
years. Change of structure in the spinal cord
I usually produces disability in the logs Now
these are the most common causes of paralysis
and, from what has been said, IL will be OBJ
served that paralysis is not disease of itself
! Neither Is II always incurable.
s
LADIES and all sufferers f.om nouralgii