Evening journal., 1890-08-18
GENERAL PARALYSIS.
THE DISEASE THAT NEVER SPARES
A VICTIM.

haps, the most terrible disease known to mod
ern medical science is that which has passed
into common speech under the name Of pare
sis II is even doubtful if there ought to be
any exception mazda IL is a disease which is
interesting and appalling almost beyond
measure II is a decay Of mind and body
which is exceedingly slow and gradual, but
absolutely certain and infinitely horrible
No man or woman whom it ever attacked
ever recovered. Its victims are always in
middle life, in apparently the full flush of
health and vigor.
Erroneous popular impressions concerning
form of insanity which is so frequent and
so much talked OF are, it seems, very nunier-
GUS The idea that the disease is due prin-
cipally to excess is one. Again, the disease is
not to be confused with 'softening Of the
brain" 1t Is really hardening Of the brain,
and the name 'paresis" is really misnomer
The proper name is general paralysis and
the disease il simply deterioration OF a
mans whole nervous organization.
General paralysis is disease Of the gray
matter Of the brain--the highest organic pro
duct ia nature This is the substance which
reaches its highest development in middle
life, the seat ot a mans faculties, whose uses
are called forth in the highest degree by the
European races who live in towns. Its abuses
by poisoning and overstrain are more conn
mon under these circumstances progress
| sive and incurable disease of this mind tissue
causes the whole nervous system to die, sure
| " and progressively. Back OF the decay Of
the gray matter was the over stimulation of
| the small blood vessels of the BRAIN Here,
| strictly speaking, the disease begins. The
| tissue of these blood vessels, and hence the
| gray nervous matter itself, degenerates.
HOW IT BEGINS.
The beginnings of the disease are, for a
| long time, utterly unnouceable, even to the
trained eys OF the physician. When they do
| become noticeable the disease Is far advanced.
| The sufferer himself goes about his business
as usual, recognizes his friends, and has no
apparent hallucinations Finally his friends
notice that no is not just the same. lie com
plains OF headaches, perhaps. The physician
is called in, and perhaps the disease has not
! progressed SO far but that the physician gives
the same advice But finally all these symp-
toms becomesaore marked, with the single
exception that all the headaches disappear
and tho man declares that he feels wonder
fully well y or that he never felt better IN
his.lifen He acts peculiarly and yet hai
strange new schemes for making large sums
Of money in his business on in outside specu
lation The doctor is again called in, ant
this time looks at the man with sharper eye
He notices that the man, with his unceasinl
| exagqeFation OF statement, has q hesitancy o.
| speech, talks little thickly, and stammer
some; be slars littse in. tpronouncing lonl
sentences or in articulsting words with man,
/ consonants in them. His voice is pitched il
a little higher k0y He walks with kind 0
sidelong shuttle or shamble, and takes steps
good deal shorter than he used 70. He ha
lost somewhat in weight The muscles roun'
his lips and eyes twitch aRd the pupil Of on
| eye is a little larger than the other. Iii
tongue witches, too, when he runs 1t out
His skim is slightly moist and hst and hi
pulse is fun. All his sensataons are slight
| dulled He often canno s@shstiBguish betwee
colors, cannot bear distinctly, sometimes caI
not even smell peppes, on tell the difference b
, tween whisky and vinegar. The doctor draw
, a circle with dot in the center, and asks th
man to bring the point Of a lead pencil dow
perpendicularly upon the dot. The man wi
bring the point down a good ways from th
dot. The doctor touches the mans kne
gently and it jerks Lack Of control over Ii
muscles Is evident
BECOMES A BOA8TER.
The doctor tells the man 80 keep quiet
r and atake rest, and SO forth, but privatel
/ tNN-N-4N
general PARALYSIS In nine cases ont Of te
a the family refuse to believe anything Of II
kind. They insist that the father or husban
!, has simple nervous prostaation; that il
q folly to call him insane, and it would be a
8 outrage TO confine him in an asylum. But
q q few months their minds are disabused. III
3 great business schemes and plans Of the vi
4 tim are soon seen to he Authorizations. /
= makes purchases and contracts far in advan,
i | Of his means. He makes astounding gifts
strangers. He brags continually of hs gran
q heelth and his glowing prospects. II he IS
, man at all accustomed to the use Of none
v he goes about making overtures for the pu
I, chase, at enormous rates, of hotels, horse
railroads, buildings, stock companies-eyer
il thing. His boastfulness turns into evide
y delnsions. He is the best rider or jumper,
/. walker, or card player, or fencer, or fight
in the world He offers TO make matches
: ali these and every kind Of sport betwe
1 himself and any one for fabulous sums
- money. He becomes more like a mani
daily. He rushes around, talking excited
= !. gesticulating wildly, exposing himself TO
" sorts al physical perils. He is dangerous
!. this time not because he is ugly or vicio
~ bat because be is bold in the extreme, a
W has absolutely no fear Of consequences.
! finally Inns 70 be placed IN IehbihiNt.
re This Is She FIRST stage of the dreaded PA
w ais. In the second stage the mans exal
n ton and excitement wears Oh. He becon
~ fat and stupid The expression Of his face
utterly vacant He agrees with all thai
said 70 him and is easily managed. lie Is I
III 10 fall down in walking. He picks up q
hs stuffs into his pockets all the stuff he can
II his hands upon. There is no vigor IN al
eh thing he does he talks TO himself in bed
night ia an automatic way. he has bis dc
No sions, but be oRly speaks about them
silly way when be is asked. He soinetir
llt banks and growls when he is alone. The
.s1 two stages last from two to four years. I
IKE then comes the third and last. The sta
shade into each other with infinite gradatl
l'e In the last stage the mans whole being
been described as thai Of a happy letharg
He is 10 paralyzed that he cannot wall
stand steadily and finally lies like wood ~
L. bis bed He cannot feed himself, and be {
raj not eat anything but liquid or minced <
les. for he bolts his food whole. He If won'
Of fully greedy for his food. He cannot N
ia. an Ineligible sound. He viii finally becs
ted SO paralyNed that voluntary motion OF
Z kind win cease in him, and he will di'
the physical exhaustion New York Sun.
nds
IN A whim in the prevailing taste for odd
NJ elry Is shown in a white and gold brae'
The design is a linked one Of squares en-
NM. eled and Roman polished oblongs aitefnnt