The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-09-22
nIsEase 81 CIVILIZATION.
ySbsl d PaEttiS pemsnila -Dsysispmeii
o. symptona- Pssaiiari,isL

hurfIe fsall k@-----sf Hossd aSi
Tsbsa 81 Passtis pemsasls -psysispnsai
of synploaaa Pe6aiiAritisA
Pareeit dehenta differs ftom ordinary
lorms 81 insanity n that II d constantly.
lSsociated with organic diseASes Of thd
brain OF spinal cord, or both. There aSv
consequently two pes-cerebtal. Of
l.doconding,H and spinal, or ''asconds
ngT both ofwhich may Atiiict At tho
same time the same person, acting, to-
sether 10 deepen his mental gloom and
hasten him into his grave "a l8
As almost nothing L known concerns
ing this disease BY tho general public,
md as even the average practitioner .
wofully in the dark, d description of tho
gmptoms and tho progressed tho dis
Ease will doubtless prove important a.
wen as interesting, The three stages d
the sdbease maybe thus classified: 1.
Mental and moral deterioration and
,ther changes Of character, z. Exalted
ielusions, Q, Progressing mental and
physical failure. All these cases are not
sufficiently well marked 10 justify these
iiscrimihatiopa, but typical cases always
have q voll.Inafkad preliminary Or lncu-
batory period. Physically, the subjects
II parctio dementi6 are generally ingood
condition. there Is little or no wear and
lear Of the body through mental inau-
snce; they sleep well and they usually
get fat.
The development Of the symptoms q
very inddlous, and usually coves q
period Of from one to four years. Cases
have been reported, however, where an
ordinary lifetime was not sufficient to
get tho patient beyond tho preliminary
Itage. The symptoms Of spinal aifeo-
.ion are chiefly pains in tho lower ex-
.remities, double sciatica, color blind.
ness, beltlike sensations in various parts
II the body particularly the head,
1ouble vision, etc. The same symptoms
may exist in cerebral paresis, but the
principal characteristic Is a sudden
shange Of character. The modest man
becomes boastful, the rich man prodigal,
the careful man reckless, the honorable
man thief, and the moral man de-
bauche. 1t Is In such stages that
designing men and speculating women
have preyOd upon rare game, which
would have been far beyond their reach
but for the mental blight that had fallen
upon their victims. Wealthy, respect.
able fathers Of families have been known
TO commit bigamy under such influences,
forgetting at the time that they were
already married.
The paretic's memory tudgaeitt
morality, will and power Of application
are weakened from the fist. The busl.
ness rnan becomes reckless or negligent
and the good father or husband cruel
and indifferent The sufferer Is so absent
minded that he can not repeat the last
sentence uttered to him, or tell what was
being talked about, or OF what he was
thinking at the time. Morbid irritability
about tiiAes Is conspicuous It Is
related OF one man that he
threw knife at servant who removed
his plate before he had quite finished
eating, yet heard with apparent apathy
\ short time afterward Of a catastrophe
involving q loss to him Of over 800. 900.
In this stage men arc generous, 4iolly
good fellows" with boon companions,
but cruel, tyrannical, unjust and parSi-
monlous within the family circle, Such
men have abused their wives for calling
in physician to prescribe for them, yet
uttered no protest whatever against be-
ing taken to an asylum. They are cho-
leHcal about petty affairs, phlegmAtic at
important turning.points in their careers,
and'sanguine about, though easily di.
verted from carrying out their purposes.
They develop suicidal tendencies, but
rarely perform tllea Of self-dstruction.
While memory, will, moral and emo
tionh balance are thus tottering, phys.
ical and alcoholic excesses are indulged
in to an extent which quickly precipi.
tates more serious phases Of the disease.
Remonstrance leads to outbreak, the in.
teryention Of the police to violent phys.
tcal conflict and the patient lands in an
asylum.
Among the first physical symptoms Is
a trembling Of the lips and difficulty IN
moving the tongue while speaking. The
patient finds II difficult to utter explo-
siye or Kissing sounds, and the longer
the word the greater the difficulty en-.
countered. The labials and dentalS-
T. B. N, 7. Dare the seyerest tests,
Such words as truly rural" and -Pere.
Erine PickleT are almost unrecCgniEable
to the ear. Later, whole syllables are
suppressed. The voices Of good singers
become reedy and cracked but their
good opinion Of their own performances
increases. The organs Of sight hour
ing, taste and smell exhibit similar de-
terioration; indeed, the total or partial
loss Of smell Is regarded as one Of the
most positive indications Of general
parcsis in the earlier stages. There Is .
twitching Of the facial muscles and q
trembling Of tho hands. The 'Gharac-
teristic paretc gait" then becomes
manifest, Tho walk Of q patient be-
comes less steady and regular, and II Is
difficult for him to stand erect with the
eyes closed aud the feet close together;
then, in some cases, It Is difficult for
him to stand thus even when The eyes
are open. The feet are thrown wider
apart to increase the base Of support,
they are lifted high and come down with
o isrk, the heel striking the ground firSt
with a +ilop." The expert dancer or
skater loses his pedal accomplishments,
ST. Louis Globe, Democrat. sst
Does Drinking Water Reduce obs.ltyI
II haa haon r,ottay ~ o,tarsivo laIisg