Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1889-02-26
A WORD OF WARNING.
iNcURABLE DiSEAi ES.
Disorders Which Travel Slowly But Sure
sly to n Fatal End, :

INCOhA6lE Dlo6RI Gos
Disorders Which Travel Slowly But sure.
.ly to n Fatal End. ;.
The class Of chronic diseases is quito
q large ono, and is important from
every point of view. 1t may prove in
teresting to investigate the question
why certain affections continue for
years, while the history OF others Is
always compressed into few days or
weeks That is to say, some are
chronic from the start, while others
are always acute. There are others
still which stand upon middle ground.
sometime acute, at other times chronic,
and still others again half way be-
tween them.
The nature of the cause OF given
disease has much to do with its dura-
tion. In the so-called essential fevers,
such as typus, typhoid, relapsing and
yellow fever, the cause is u minute
vegetable organism that seems to at
tain its full development within very
short time, after which it produces its
progeny and dies. There is no moro
chance of one of them becoming chron-
ic than there is OF raising several crops
OF oats or barley from once sowing the
seed.
In second class the cause, again u
microscopic growth, may go on grow
ing, multiplying and developing new
crops almost indefinitely. Such are
the malarial fevers and all the affec-
.tions classed among the miasmatic
disorders.
Disease OF the. valves OF the heart Is
not at all uncommon, and follows
acute rheumatism especially II it oc-
ours in a child, with great frequency.
Tho presence of valvulat disease Of
the heart is not by any means a sign
that death must result from it in q
year or a score OF years. The amount
of damage inflicted is not always indi-
Gated by the amount OF abnormal
sounds to be heard over the heart.
The abnormal sounds (murmurs) may
be very loud, and the disease which
causes them be OF no secret moment,
or the murmurs may scarcely be heard,
while the damage may be OF the great
est Importance and lead to speedy
death. In the one case. the
muscular substance OF the heart
is able to make up for the
damages presumably growing (hyper-
trophy sufficiently to meet all demands
made upon its strength; in the other,
the ability to grow and increase in
strength is soon exhausted. Then the
blood accumulates faster than it can
be sent away from the heart, and the
cavities thereof become more and more
weak and give way before the con-
stantly increasing pressure-that is
dilatation instead Of hypertrophy.
Enlargement of the heart by over
growth OF its muscular substance is |
always conservative process, doing
good and not to be interfered with,
while dilatation of the heart from
OF its cavities Is always of |
evil augury.
A vast amount OF suffering is due TO
the so-calIed chronic rheumatism. In
stead OF one, there are probably sew
erll different diseases confounded to-
gether under this name They have
all some characteristics In common,
which doubtless occasions this confu-
sion. Some cases Of locomotor ataxy
are for years supposed to be chronic
rheumatism or neuralgia, whilo
large numbers OF dry Inflammation OF
tho hip joint arc treated as cases
Of sciatica. The pains often felt
In the muscles and termed
rheumatism are not
nGten OF rheumatic nature
in any sense. Some recent authorities,
indeed, hold that most OF these pains
are caused by the presence of the tri-
,hind spiratis. AS every one knows,
.he trichina. II present in sufficient
cause intoleratle suffering,
ever and speedy death. II only few
lro present the muscles In which they
inally take up abode become sore,
iwollen and stiff for few weeks, after
which the pains subside and all goes
pack to the normal condition. AL
.hough this idea about ordinary mus
,ular rheumatism has not been fully
proven, 1t has to support 1t from the
1retical standpoint. After all the nerv-
ous and muscular cases are disposed OF
IS not rheumatic therc still remain q
list OF cases which are
.raceable to acute rheumatism in the
irst place or to prolonged exposure to
,old and damp, or to one OF these.
The chronic rheumatism thus brought
lbout may be greatly modified by care
ully attending to the clothing, habi-
alton and habits OF life generally.
Jold and dampness must be avoided
ike the rankcst OF poisons, and the ac-
ion OF the ldndeys gently encouraged.
The Louisville base ball club wi