Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-08-23
WHAT PARALYSIS IS..

scandal unless Robertson's appointment was
made.
WHAT PARALYSIS IS. .....
INTERESTING AND PROFITABLE MEDICAL
READING FOR NON-MEDICAL PEOPLE.
So common has become the occurrence of
paralysis in recent years, that many use the
word for slang expression; but for all that,
it is probable that vast majority of the
people who think at all of paralysis reckon
thatit isa disease of itself That some med
ical men so regard this condition, is plain
from the fact that deaths are frequently GER
tilted to have been caused by it, The incor-
rectness of this notion will, however, be
plain when the conditions which give rise
to paralysis are clearly. set forth, and this
we now propose. .H..
A carpenter, blacksmith or some other
mechanic, 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 ap-
plies, says a "brachial monoplegia from
muscle tire" which means simply that the
man has overwrought his hammer arm and
IL uGCQS IGSC. IL tllCSCS StlSCS SSly ihPPtO0
pirate name of ARTISANS palsy" is given.
Again, -blooded, nervously construct
ed person, most likely a woman, meets with
great shock, or has to endure an unusual
and prolonged mental or physical effort.
Soon, and perhaps without warning, the in
dividual loses the use OF some part of the
body, often the vocal apparatus, and the pa
tient is unable to speak above a whisper.
The doctor says "hysterical paralysis" or
"hysterical aphonia," loss of voice. Now
lust how this comes about we fancy it would
puzzle the most learned doctor to say Con-
cerning this condition, however, as well as
the one before mentioned, this much is
known, viz. that by appropriate treatment
they recover perfectly and promptly, very
good evidence that no part of the nervous
ed from time to time are probably cases OF
the kind last mentioned.
It 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 the person awakens,
the arm is numb it tingleS and is paral-
yzed-another "brachial menoplegia," but
really pressure upon the trunks of the nerves
which supply the disabled member, has af-
fected those nerves so that they are unable
to perform their usual duty. The nerves
which 60 out from the brain and spinal cord
to the eXtremities, 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 pro-
duces results very like those which follow
an interference with the wire. The case
just given, illustrates very well large num-
ber Of cases of palsy from pressure, forpres-
sure upon the brain or spinal cord, or the
1,,hin1, hova thpir aYlt fhprafr0n1
will produce palsy, whose extent will de-
pend upon the extent Of the pressure, and .
whose durability depends 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 non-prOtesslonal
people, by their attempts to detect the AFFECT
ed 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 blo0d-clots
within the skull or spinal canal. Patients
who recover from diphtheria, scarlet FEVER,
and some other acute sicknesses are fire.
uuently paralyzed in some part. These
cases generally recover by appropriate treat
ment, and it is quite probable that many
cases would recover spontaneously. Inc
remarks before made concerning certain
cases which recover, will apply equally to
the cases just named. 4,.
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 eX-
tend the hand upon the arm. AT times the
whole muscular system is involved. Change
of occupation, and the use OF remedles
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 mer-
curry, 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 parayzing effect
of large doses of alcohol, are well known.
Certain conditions of the circulatory appa-
ratus predispose to eXtensiveand often lncu-
rabe 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 brit
tie. BY some event, which determines an
unusual quantity Of blood to the brain, one
of these now elastic tubes is broken, the
poured-o out blood clots, as before mentioned,
and paralysis Immediately follows.
Owing to certain systematic conditions,
fbrin. a substance normally suspended in
the blood, lodges upon the tiood-gates-
valves-of the heart. Presently a part OF
this matter is dislodged and washed 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
a 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 paral-
yses are usually extensive, and are not read
ily distinguished from those Just mentioned.
The presence of worms in the bowels OF
children, is believed to produce paralysis, in
some cases. But such cases being due to
known removable cause, are described as re-
fleX paralysis. These are not seen alone In
children, but in adults as well. Finally,
change in the structure ofthe brain or spinal
cord produces paralysis, varying in extent
with the extent of nerve structure involved.
Such paralyses are especially obstinate in
those of advanced years. Change of struc-
ture in the spinal cord usually produces dis
ability in the legs. Now, these are the most
common causes of paralysis, and from what
has been said, it will be observed that pa
ralysis is not a disease of itself. Neither is
it always incurable. ... ...... . ... ...
aa- A little Scotch boy, about four or five
wears old, was i'll of fever, and the doctor Or
dered his head to be shaved. The little fel-
low was unconscious at the time, and knew
nothing Of it. A few days after, when he
,Uas cOnvalaSnant he haDneneG to put his