Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-01-02
OVERWORK THAT KILLS.
A DISEASE THAT IS BLlGHTlNG THE
 LIVES OF BUSY MEN.

A DISEASE THAT IS BLlGHTlNG THE
 LIVES OF BUSY MEN.
 It Is Incurable, but Men of Small Mental
 Caliber Need Not Fear It-women Fur
 nish Less Than One Per Cent. of the Cases.
 No Other Land So Cursed by It.
 Few weeks go by now in which the com munity is not startled bus the juteligence that some man of prominence has suddenly become insane. Some act of sudden and un- reasonable violence or the demonstration of some astounding delusion compels attention to his condition. Then, friends and relatives remember he has been for some time ''acting queerly" and the question, "How long has his mind been affectedf" is one that awakens much excited interest especially among those having business relations with him. or con- cerned ill his estate. "Rest and quiet will speedily restore him." say his friends, and so physicians profess to hope. He is secluded in an asylum, or in some private rural re- treat. The next that is heard of him Is that experts in cerebral affections have pro nounced his disease ''paresis." Paresisl The horror of the age; slow death in life; malady as incurable and inevitably fatal as leprosy-sthat is paresis.
 SASAaASSs oAoSA O tiIuc, Guo f1CtlW u6Y seem to rally, to regain his mental control, and hopeful friends will doubt the correct ness of the physicians diagnosis. But in few months the reaction comes, darker and darker the cloud settles down upon the afflicted mind; moro and more feeble grows the body, slowly and surely life fades out. How many instances of this fatal progression might be cited, among men not only locally prominent, but of national reputation as playwrights, actors, merchants and 1nan- ciers, were it desirable to call the painful roll! At least three, whose names are known all over the land. are now in or near New York, awaiting the certain end, and there Is not an insane asylum in the country In which there are not numerous cases, of per- sons of minor individual importance, doomed to death by paresis.
 Generally the disease runs its course in about three years from the time that it un- questionably declares itself, but there are cases-where it is induced altogether by al- coholisn-in which the end is delayed as much as ten years, the greater part of which time the victim is flaccid, paralyzed, drool- ing, helpless and hopeless imbecile or tort ured by the saddest hallucinations-a condt- tion from which death would seem to be 6 happy release.
 THE HISTORY OF PAREsIs.
 As long ago as l672 this peculiar variety of cerebral affection was observed, but until fifteen years ago it was rare and had not been so closely studied, accurately defined and the knowledge concerning it so systematized as now. Within ten years it has constantly and with alarming rapidity increased in the United States, until now it Is not too much to say that it is our national terror. In no other part of the world is it SO frequent. And its blight IS most apt to fall upon those who are brightest. most mentally active, Stupid people have little reason to fear it, If they keep sober nor have women. Not one per cent. of the cases are those of females The average woman does not dangerously strain her brain, but many men, in tho eager com petition, rapid life and over e1citation of brain and nerves common to American exist ence, do so-and invite paresis.
 Dr. Allan McLane Hamilton, who is recog- nized as one of the highest authorities upon mental diseases in this country, when con- suited a few days ago upon the subject of paresis, for the purpose of this article, said:
 II see great deal of 1t, in various asylums and institutions, as we'll as in my private practice, and recognize the fact that it has been, during ten years past, steadily and alarmlEgly increasing It is a disease inci- dent to the rapid life of this country. In majority of cases it is directly dependent upon vice and not upon actual overwork alone, It is the fashion nowadays to call all forms of structural disease of the brain with mental disturbance, general paresis, but the general name, dementia paralytica, is the proper term. As rule the disease attacks persons who are primarily dissipated, and with that dissipation have & certain amount, probably excessive, of irregularmental work. Nearly always it begins with some depression, despondency, or, very often, hypochondriasis- A ha inI Nq xr1,i 1ock for a variable time, ensues extravaganza of ideas, which is an important feature of the disease.
 FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS.
 "The so called illusions of grandeur now entertained are of the most extravagant character, the victims having vast confidence in their own powers Some of them claim to possess the entire wealth of the world and more sor less governed by this delusion- give away presents most extravagantfy, spend their money in the most reckless way and cherish the widest schemes. Others believe that they are. specially appointed by God to perform tremendous deeds, or achieve great things, such as the establishment of new faiths, or the founding of new orders, and deem themselves endowed with the power of working miracles Their schemes are always colossal. Tho character of Col onel Sellers is simply an example of modified pare6lS HIS eye water scneme IS QlSt1ncG- lively that. Another notable fact Is that these vast illusions are meant for the good of humanity; that those cherishing them desire to be great benefactors, and they are fond of conferring imaginary honors and grandiose titles
 'WhfIe the patient is under the domina- tion of these different illusions he is more or less influenced by his surroundings, and is very apt to become violent and abusive when his illusions are questioned or his powers doubted.
 As the disease progresses in the brain, the body wastes away, becomes feeble, the muscles are powerless and a condition of paralysis sets in. Toward the end the patient, incapable of motion or consciousness, drools saliva from his open mouth, sees nothing with his lack luster eyes, and gradually fades away. At last comes death.-New York Mali and Express.
 Put to Bed to Be Shod.
 There Is a horse in the town of Sprague be- longing to Allen Williams that has to be put to bed to be shod. As blacksmiths do not have beds in their shops for the accomoda- ton of such eccentric animals, MT. Williams |