The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-01-28


to begin with, in order to demonstrate
mental strength enough to warrant
their submission to his counsel. The
personality of the physician becomes
indeed of more Importance with every
new advance of medical science.
DR.. Dana agreed to speak of this sub
iect now SO powerfully focused in the
public eye by the Seaman. De Maui
PEASANT and other cases.
sGrcat confusion exists in the public
mind" said DIR. Dana, "about the mean
ing Of paralysis or paresis. There may
be partial paralysis Of the muscles of
any part of the body or of the muscles
of ali parts of the body. So there may
be total paralysis Of the muscles OF q
portion of the body, or total paraly-
sis of the muscles of all parts OF the
body. This last is often called 'paresis.'
.Now paresis, the popular name of
which used to be 'softening OF the
brain, is the term applied to stage OF
the malady which results in this gen
eral paralysis. Indeed these synonyms
are worth remembering:
General paralysis of the insane.
Eteh 'A' ~ WAY ---S>e~S-
"GeEeral paresis and
"Paralytic dementia.
''The popularity Of paresis is that it
is complicated by insanity, and while l
have spoken of 'softening of the brain
as being the term once popularity APP
piled to it, the actual fact is that
paretics brain becomes, If anything,
hardened, as the surface of the brain
tissues becomes infamed and cougested.
81 do not hold that pNesis is an in
durable disease. While the fact that
patient receivers may be thought by
some to invalidate the diagnosis of par
esis, it does not follow, to my mind, for
I believe cures have been effected.
'sParesis is comparatively new med
zeal term, and in popular parlance the
word has net been in use much, If any,
more than ten years, I believe.
SIT is disease of the brain tissues,
YOU may say, of the mind tissues, those
outer portions of the brain in which the
most highly developed cerebral process
es go on. The disease has fortunately
marked physical symptoms. Fortu-
nately also, it is not hereditary. That
is one of it's peculiarities.
ssAlthough there may be popular
impression to that effect, do not think
actors have fallen victims to paresis-
the accent, strictly speaking, is on the
first syllable-in greater numbers than
members of other professions"
This is noteworthy opinion in view
of the roll of such names as BARLEY
Campbell, j ohm Mccullough, Tony Hart,
Hawley Chapman, Charles e. Blanch-
cite and w. J. Seaman.
DR.. William A. Hammond, retired
surgeon general of the United States
army, and president of the American
Neurological association, says that
paresis is now probably the best known
in it's symptoms, pathology and morbid
anatomy of all the forms of mental de-
rangement.
General paralysis" says DR.. Ham
mond, sis the most common of all men
tai affections, perhaps. The most sus-
picious of all the circumstances which
may indicate the inception of general
paralysis is gradual but obvious alter
alton in the mental characteristics of
the Individual. He forms relations,
often with women, which are matters
Of surprise to those who have long
known him; he makes investments such
as no prudent man would make. He
may perpetrate frauds of various
kinds, or commit obscene acts I'M
I der circumstances which are al
most certain to result in de-
lection. Many distressing instances of
general paralytics OF the highest re-
spectability being arrested for petty
thefts have been reported. A general
state of exhilaration, different from the
patients ordinary manner and feeling,
NAV exist for several months, or even
years, before any more obvious symp-
tom makes it's appearance. Among
the earliest of the mental symptoms
generally noticed, when the disease is
fully established, is an excessive anxiety
in regard to matters which are really of
no great Importance. The patient be-
comes regardless of his personal appear
ance. Neglects to change his linen and
appears in public half dressed His mem
ory fails rapidly and his acts are eccentric
and absurd. A patient of mine sent
home wagon load of snow shovels,
another purchased all the turkey eggs
he could get, and the other drained the
florist of tulip bulbs. In the vast ma
iority of cases the slight mental de-
preston which exists in the be-
ginning of general paralysis, dis
appears either suddenly or gradu-
ally, and exaltation takes it's place. A
tendency to erotic delusions, almost
reaching to the extent of satyriasis, and a
marked increase in sexual appetite and
power are often witnesses. In my expe-
rience the first sign of loss of power.
one which is sometimes observed before
any evidence of mental arrangement,
is a slight defect of articulation due to
paralysis of the lips. The words ma
tional intelligencer' are almost inn
practicable to the general paralytic,
and in trying to pronounce them he
concentrates his whole attention on the
act. Headache is generally symptom
from the very beginning. 1t is a nota-
BILE characteristic of paralysis that re-
missions in it's intensity generally oc-
cur, during which the symptoms abate
In violence and the patients friends
Imagine he is certainly recovering. The