The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-08
FORMS OF PARALYSIS.
Inc heart and Brain-Probable Cause of the
Death of MIR. Hendricks
So. louis GIobe- Democrat.


Death of Mr.. Hendricks.
ST. Louis Globe Democrat
Inc death of Mr. Hendricks is said to have
oeen due to simultaneous paralysis of heart
ana brain" From his medical history. it is very
PROBABLE that such was the case. 1t is, however,
very certain that the paralysis of the heart
was due to the brain affection and not
the reverse As stated in these columns some
weeks ago. sudden death is very nfre-
quentiy the result of disease Of the heart
alone If affections of this organ are really
| the primary fatal disease, there are almost
! Always plenty of warnings of the defect in the
central organ of the circulation. Of these dropsy
is the more common, and attacks of faintness
| ana marked hraathlassnAss on axaTii"n are the
.'oAs III Importance. Heart pang," an agoniZ-
lns Ieellng OF impending dissolution referred by
TIE sunerer to the region of the heart, known as
dhsIna pectorls, marks a few cases of great
gravity 1t seems that these were all absent in
the case of the late Vice president, hence it may
oe taken for granted that the stopping of the
hearts action in his case was due to cause
located elsewhere
Inc heart. like any muscle, may be paralyzed
by over stretching. This happens when, from
aenclency In its valves or from sheer weakness,
IL becomes unable TO send the blood along through
the lungs or the general circulation. After
tline the cavities become distended to such an
extent that no contraction is possible. Death
occurs from true paralysis of the muscle, from
itself.
But the continued action of the heart requires
something more than healthy condition Of its
muscular fbres and valves It's supply Of nerv-
Gus force must be kept up it stops 1t has
this supply from three different sources.
Nlthln It's own substance are located
some small knots of nervous substance,
which, n some of the lower animals, are
sufficient to keep it going for some time
when removed from the body; in man they ire
capable of furnishing it power for a few beats
only. In the neck are placed other small collec-
tons OF similar nature. whose business seems
to be connected with the nourishment of the
muscle, and perhaps, TO supplement those in the
heart itself. In the medulla oblongata, situated
at the base of the BRAIN just within the skull, is
tne great fountain OF energy upon which the reg
ular and uninterrupted action of the great force
pump OF the circulation depends for its supply of
nerve force By a self regulating mechanism,
something on the principle of governor of a
steam engine, the heart is checked in its too rapid
movements, and spurred to greater activity if it is
going too slowly. If the 'accelerator' influence
be lncreased--as it is in fevers-the heart wears
itself out, stops finally from exhaustion. If the
check" power of this great heart center be sud
denly and overpoweringly increased-as by such
drugs as dlgtalis, or by an injury to the brain
then it remains contracted and beats no more.
Or, again. all influence from this source may be
shut of suddenly by pressure from the blood
proceeding from ruptured artery, as because of
the filling of tho arteries which supply the
blood that had formed somewhere else in the
circulation. Whatever causes the stoppage of
the production of force by this center the effects
are the same. Deprived of this supply the
heart mas to depend upon its own intrinsic nerve
centers for power to do its work. it makes few
feeble contractions, and then ceases its labors
forever.
Exclusive of the disabling of muscles by me-
chanical causes-of which arrest of the hearts
action, because of over filing of its cavities is
an mple-paralysis, or palsy, means loss of
power, Of voluntary motion, from disease or in
jury or nerve or nerve-center. The nerve
centers are collections of nerve cells which gen
crate nerve force. They stand in the same rela
ton to the nerves as the battery does to the tel
egraph wires If the batteries are destroyed no
news can be sent along the wires, however per
feet may be their insulation and connections. If
the wires are down, or cut or crossed, no excel
lence in the central batteries can enable the
operator to send message. In the same
way, if the central batteries of the nervous sys-
tenn the brain, medulla oblongata and spinal
cord are out of order and not generate
force, paralsys ensues-palsy of central origin.
If the nerves cut or compressed, or diseased,
paralysis paresis' partial paral ysisS, results
"a peripheral palsy. not due to central disease,
is the results.
In general paresis all parts of the nervous sys-
tenn are affected, and the signs Of its presence
are everywhere to be found more marked at one
time in one part. then progressing steadily or in
termittingly to every portion of the
Dody Wnere motl0n is possible
When the brain is the exclusive
seat of the Affection the loss of motion or of
sensation. or of both, is confined to the right or
left side of the face and body-a hempegia is
present. If the medulla oblongata is partially
destroyed by disease, the face. lips tongue and
throat show paralysis. If the spinal cord is
affected by an injury or disease that practically
cuts it in two, both motion and sensation are
abolished in all parts supplied by nerves given
off from the chord below the point injured. If
the front portion of it is alone affected. the mus
Giles supplied from that part wither away and the
power to move them is lost. If the posterior
portion be alone affected. sensation is interfered
with or lost, while movements possible, al
though disordered, not as the victim would have
them.
Brain palsies are due to compression of the
substance of the brain by depressed bone, by
assesses, by tumors, or by the products of in
fiammaton, by destruction of the brain sub
stance following the breaking of an artery,
bleeding and formation OF coagulum. by
softening of the brain, following the gradual fill
ing up of an artery by the infammatory mate
rial around it, Or the deposit of blood clot along
the inside of the vessel, or by the sudden shut
ting up Of an artery by piece Of bloodclot
formed somewhere else becoming detached and
floating along in the circulation until it comes to
a place that is too small to permit it to pass.