The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-12-26
MODERN MALADIES.

MODERN
Diseases Following In the Train o
Progressing Civilization.
All About Railroad Kidney, Telephone
Tinnitus, Electrical Sun-Stroke, Tele-
scoplc Eye and Numerous Other
Ncw-Eangled Ailments.
AS every pleasure in life brings it,
corresponding pain or bitterness, so 1t
may be said that every civilized aid tc
existence devised for human kind de.
vclops m agency for introducing new
ills to torment alike suffering flesh and
tho Esculapian brain. Tho invention
Of steam locomotion, telegraph and tcle-
phone instruments, electric lighting and
while adding so much to public comfort
and convenience, have also brought into
existence curious diseases, which, &C
;ording to tho Times and Register, form
interesting contributions to medical
science, although less interesting n
more expensive to the suffering victim.
Railroad spine, or railroad shock, an
affection unknown before travel by rail
became so common, has been g
familiar malady for some time
but one moro recent is rail.
road kidney, a disease not unlike
Bright's disease, but OF nervous origin
due to conclusions received on rail.
roads. There is a disturbance of the
general system, especially of the func.
tons of tho kidneys, tho symptoms dis
appearing wncn tho sufferer leaves his
regular work. Tho overuse Of the
telephone produces a curious disease, in
some respects a form of asemasia, a
volitional oycrstraining Of certain
powers by which VIC perceive spoken
words when VIC can not soc the speaker
or perceive his gestures or the move
ment of his lips, thus creating confusion
Of ideas, general nervousness and lack
Of sclf-control. Certain of the senses
arc developed at tho expense Of others,
tho natural equilibrium being unbal-
anced. Telephone ~tinaitus, aural over
PRESSURE, is caused by the constant
strain of the auditory apparatus in per-
sons who use the telephone continually,
the car becoming intolorant Of the
tinklo OF the bell. The symptoms
are buzZing noises in the car, dizziness.
ncuralgic pains, and, in some instances,
a suh-innammatory condition of the
membrane tympani. The tclcgraphers'
cramp and tho professional akinesia are
Of the same order Of affections as the
writer's cramp or tho violinists' cramp.
Electrical aunstrokc is IN affection
that attacks those who arc exposed
to tho intense rays of the electric
arc used in fusing or welding
metals, protection against this being
afforded by wearing : ftresk~~et
gray taffcta and gray eyeglasses. OPP.
thalmia ptotoclectrica is an infamma.
ton of tho eye in persons employed
about electric lights, and is caused by
looking at these brilliant lights at q
short distance away. a succession OF
bright srots 'aoifly follow II anothe,
over the visual ,:rld, and a5 nigh: there
is ina!j!ity ~ look at li.-ht without
rain and Il rrof'lse flow Of tears; the
\ JSSlAo tLt "AJSA VI
the eye painful. luis lasts a fcw hours,
and is succeeded by y feeling of pain.
full we&yiness. The ordinary telescope
vision il, q disease by which The visual
1ici5 is limited economically. and the
sufferer can 1.,1sl,,,y . nothing except
that which is directly in front of his
eye; this condition bGing due to lack OF
nutrition OF tho rrtina Or tc some dis.
ease OF the periphery. An affection Of
vision similar to tho telescope eye may
also DC produced by tho action of qui'
nine. Tho t,lrscopic eye peculiar tt
lighthouse Keepers is a ~thickening anc
cnlsrgirg of the bony walls of the
orbit. caused by tho persistent and re
pcated press.1re at the end of the tel
oscope upon tho surroundings o.
the eye, inducing y chronic form
OF periostitis or o~stitis: the eye
gradually p%rotruding, hut not becoming
myopic Or a~stigmatic. The divers
bends is q new form OF caisson disease
which attacks the victim on his return
to tho open air with nervous prostra
ton. The cavities connected with tho
nasal passages arc o~bstructcd in some
cases completely while the men are at
work, and in :icEo cases extreme deaf.
ness has been induced. Tho sufferers
often reel and staf;ger like drunkards.
and sometimes are affected with partial
paralysis. Electricity has been used
with success for the treatment of this
disease. Civilized indulgenccs and van.
tiles have also contributed their share
of the diseases that affect the modern
world. Tight shoes. by comprising the
nerves Of tine foot, have created "Mor-
too" Then the tennis elbow and
Shoulder tell their own story;
while chronic catarrh is in a largo num-
Der Of cases said to be due to cigarette
tho result Of smoking tho much
condemned but still f;.Torite cigarette
genius il still at work improv-
the arts and sciences, and SO the de-
mon Of disease. oyer on the alert, will
doubtless swoop down with his at
;endant ills to tho end OF time, keeping
progress with the march Of civilization.
Thu Praachcr's Enco,nium.
There recently died II man VINO had
years kept q drug store in Mcdford.