Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-01-24

DIR. Charles l. Dana. one Of the psy-
chological e. serts called IN 70 see
Banker Z NJ Ffela when his friends
first began 20 make up their ninas thai
Banker Field hsd iost his mind when
he had lost their money. is q tail. dark
man OF scdAte nznker ana broad
calm brow behind which mental
processes Of moment would seem likely
10 proceed TO unbiased and unerrsng
conclusions Most mental experts. IN
deed. seem 70 be tall. dark men Of calm
acuteness OF demeanor. Dr. Hamilton
combines the intuitive precision Of
Postmaster with the oourtly manners
OF q cavalier. no doubt the brain
specialist Of the next generation viii
be expected 20 hypnosize his patients.
TO begin with. in order 10 demonstrate
mental strength enough 10 warrant
their submission TO his counsel The
personality Of the physician becomes
indeed of more importance with every
new advance Of medical science
DIR. Dana agreed 10 speak Of this sub
ject now SO powerfully focused In the
public eye BY the Seaman. De MAu-
PEASANT and other cases.
Great confusion exists in the public
mind" said DIR. Dana. about the mean
ing of paralysis or paresi~- There may
any part of the body or of the muscles
of all parts of the body. So there may
be a total paralysis of the muscles Of =
portion of the body. or . total parsly-
sis of the muscles Of all parts of the
body. This last 10 often called 'paresis-'
Now paresis. the popular name of
which used TO be 'softening os 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.
Progressive paralysis of the inssns.
General paresis and
'paralytic dementia-
''The popularity of paresis Is that II
Is complicated by insanity. and while
have spoken of 'softening of the brain
as being the term once popularity ap
piled TO II, the actual fact Is that q
paretic's brain becomes, if anything.
hardened. rs the surface of the brain
tissues becomes innarped and cougested-
Il do not hold that paresis 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.
''Paresis 10 comparatively new med
zeal term, and in popular parlancc the
word has not been in use much. II any.
more thnn ten years. ] believe
st is disease of the brain tissues,
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. il is not hcrcaitary. That
is one of its pcculiarities-
Although there may be popular
impression 20 that effect. do not think
actors have fallen victims to parcsis--
the accent, strictly spcaising, is on. the
first syllable-in greater numbers than
members CT other professions"
This is O noteworthy opinion in view
of tho roll Of such names us Barley
Campbell, John Mccullough. Tony Hart.
Hawley Chapman. Charles L. Blanch-
cite AMI w. ,. Seaman.
DR.. william, A. Hammond. retired
surgeon general Of the United States
army. ard president OF the American
Neurological association. says that
paresis Is now probably the best known
in its symptoms. pathology and morbid
anatomy OF all the forms Of mental de-
rangcmcut.
General paralysis" says DIR. Ham,
nnond, us 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
aticn in the mental characteristics of
the individual he forms relations.
often with women. which are matters
Of surprise TO thoae who have long
known him; he makes ipvcstulents such
as no prudent man would make He
may perpetratc frauds of various
kinds. or commit obscene acts un-
Ger clftutlStauScS winch arc az
most certain 70 result in de-
lection. Many distressing instances Of
general pasalytics of the highest re-
spcctability being arrested for petty
thefts have been reported A general
state Of exbilsraticl, different from tie
patients ordinary manner and feeling.
may exist for several moths. or even
years. before any more obvious symp-
tom makes its 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
snce. Ncgiccts 10 change his linen and
appears in pnbiic half dressed. His mem
DRY fails rapidly and his acts are eccentric
and absurd. A patient Of mine sent
home wagon lead 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-
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