Daily Yellowstone journal., 1886-02-04
WHAT Is EMBOLISMi
VEINS BECOME BRITTLE THROUGH
STRUCTURAL DEGENERATION.
The Most Common Form of Heart Dis
ease-Ubstructions An the Blood
Courses-senile 0angrene-vari-
ous Causes of Sudden Death.

In neultnN Velns tu0 oldStlclty - UNI
form; the iilm of muscular and nervous
tissue has the temper Of the finest steel,
but is softer and more flexible than any
web Of lace or velvet, ant, except the
phosphate Of lime in the bones, is the
most durable part OF the physical struc-
ture. There are, however, "A The Veins
of some systems a singular .ack Of nD-
rous strength and elasticity. Chalky or
osseous deterioration impairs their mus
cular tissue, and the circulation feels the
want OF visorous propulsion and strong
reiow which ARE ut once the signals and
the causes OF superb physical health.
The valves IT the heart which are made
substantially of the same material ms the
veins, are liable To u similar teierlora-
tiOn. When they are affected 10y this
change in their texture, they become
hard, leathery aud inelastic, and fail to
fulfil their functions. The brain then
suffers for want 81 its full supply Of
blood ami the heart becomes engorged
from the retarded How and refiow Of the
vital current. This is the most common
form Of heart disease, in which death 10
produced by a clcg and stoppage In the
circulation.
Wins lllAT AXE bhl lie.
Veins that are not fine and tough In
their texture, or when they become bril-
tie through structural deterioration, are
liable Ia lose fibrous particles from their
inner walls. which are detached by the
eager rush Of the blood along its native
channels. These fibers may for time
be carried backward and forward in the
circulation, and at last escape on the
breath. or through the pores or the con-
luits Of eycremental discharge by which
the system is purified of its waste and
worthless material. At later period,
however, the detached and wasted fibers
are liable Ia accumulate at any point
along the channel through which the
blood courses. rs fallen trees and wrecks
iorm snagS aud distractions in the chan
mel of a river.
These flosting fibers are also liable u
become cnIanglrd with the globules o.
blood, forming Instructions of a similar
character. This is embolism. Occurring
in the veins Of II limb or any muscular
portion Of the body, il stops the circula
tion beyond the point Of obstruction, and
the mass Of flesh from which the nutri-
ment is thus cut OH, decays and putr!-
flies. This is called senile gangrene, and
is the disease by which Thomas A. Hen
bricks was affected two or three years
ago. lie then apparently recovered, but
his recent death proceeded from the same
cause acting differently under change
Of circumstances. When an embolism
is formed in the brain, that portion of
the nervous matter which is cut off from
ills blood-supply undergoes an incurable
process Of decay which is styled soften.
ing Of the brain, and ends in idiocy and
paralysis at last.
FATAL MOTHER WAYS.
Embolism may prove fatal in other
ways. Stopping the current Of the blood
1t acts like dam across stream. The
INSTRUCTED current sets back: IL enlarges
the vein, the walls Of which, of course,
become thinner and weakened as they
are distended, and they may burst, ms
the banks Of "a stream, II Of insufficient
strength To restrain the pressure Of the
increased volume of water when il Is
damned up. give way and release the
imprisoned Hood. When a vein in the
brain or heart bursts from this cause
death follows rs suddenly as from Q
pistol shot. This was evidently
the cause Of Mr.. Hendricks death, as
it was that Of Vanderbilt. Gen. Me-
Clellan and Schuyler Colfax. II the dis
tended vein does not burst its increased
size often causes it to press upon import
ant nerves, by which paralysis is pro-
duced.
There is nothing in this that is new.
Brittle blood-vessels. ffbrous obstruction
to the flow Of blood, embolism and blood
clots are not new diseases. Mankind
have been subject to such yisitations ever
since the blood flowed through their
veins. No more men and women die
from this cause now than died from the
same cause during all the centuries Of
the past. A few distinguished victims
have caused the disease and the methods
bywhich II is produced to attract much
scientific and popular attention within
the last few decades.-ChicagO Journal