The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-02
MEGRIM.
A Form of Sick Headache Caused by Eye
Strain.

Strain.
This distressing condition of pain in
the head. 1t is most invariably con-
fined to one side of the head and is dis
tinctly localized in the frontal (above
the eyes, temporal or occipital (above
the nape of the neck region. There is
perhaps no form of pain more fire.
qucntly encountered by the physician
in his round of labor 1t is an affection
common in all chimes, and neither
height, depth nor atmospheric condi-
tons confer immunity from the attack
to those who are predisposed to it. The
fresh, cool fragrance upon the noun
tain top, the peaceful hush in the val
ley and the foam of the mad sea offer
life-giving and renewing properties
sufficient to calm the most painful
throes, but megrim never yields nor is
held back by such as these
It is hereditary. 1t commonly shows
itself before the thirtieth year of age
and subsidies in later life. Digestive
disturbances were commonly supposed
to be the causes which excited the at
tack. So too, nervous exhaustion and
nervous irritation were believed to be
active factors in precipitating an at
tack. The best medical authorities
now say the chiefest and most frequent
cause of megrim is an abnormal condi-
ton of the eye or its appendages. There
is no reason why muscle or muscles
of the eye should not become tagged
out just as the muscles elsewhere do.
Let one bear weight all day long,
does he not attribute his consequent
backache to the heavy burden he has
borne? 1t seems without elaborate
thinking we could conceive of the
results following upon prolonged
use of the eye. Nature has done
ell she could to protect and prolong the
usefulness of the eye. No earthly
architect ever yet planned a structure
that would not yield, crumble and fall,
and the house human so eXquisitely up
lifted in curious and mysterious ways
falls and returns to dust more rapidly
and surely than need be, for the reason
that we do not realize how much one
part is sustained or overthrown by an
other. One tiny muscle is potent
enough to disturb the whole economy,
especially if intercurrent diseases exist
in addition to eve strain" The symp-
toms of attacks of sick-headache are al
ways paroxysmal and peculiarly explo-
sive in character, indicating the APP
proach of trouble. Upon awakening
in the morning ones head feels
heavy and a sense of extreme languor
al I.l
sion to effort-even to eat. Sudden
movements of the head or body are
followed by pains in the head Stoop-
ing causes very unpleasant sensations
makes the head swim" as a poor
sufferer describes it. As the day adj
vances a pain of very decided character
is felt in the head, and as the day wears
on absolute rest, quiet and darkness
become imperative. The pain becomes
more and more intense until the pa
tient begins to vomit. This often closes
the attack and a heavy sleep follows;
generally several fits Of vomiting are
experienced, accompanied by retching,
sweating, pallor and great physical ex-
| haustion. Megrim is usually relieved
in twenty-four hours, although it may
last two or three days.
For treatment during the premonito-
nv stage it is best to take an emetic or
good purge. Warm water with lit
tie mustard added (half teaspoonful to
glass lukewarm water) makes an ex-
cellent emetic, and tablespoonful cas-
tor oil an admirable purge. Often
copious draughts of very hot water will
cut short an attack. If the pain be-
comes intolera BILE, immerslons of the en-
tire body in a very hot bath will near
! " always give relief. After the bath
| put the patient to bed in a dark
| ened room, shut out all noises and
! place a bag partly filled with hot
! water at the back of the neck. Usual
! " one viii need no further treatment
/ to induce sleep. In the intervals be-
| tween attacks benefit may be derived
/ from out-of-door exercise, tonics, a reg
ular and mild diet and attention to the
| bowels. But until the eye-strain is re-
/ moved no lasting freedom from parox-
! ysms is TO be hoped for. Eye strain is
! indeed a serious thing, when it alone is
responsible for even one i'll like this
ne.-Philadelphia Record.