The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-02-11
MODERN MALADIES.
Mechanical Devices That Bring
his In Their Train.
The Trolley Foot" "reIeph0ns Ear"
Bicycle Toe and Telegraphers
and Typewriter's CrAmp-A
Painful List.

Just as the inventive genius of the
age has forced novelties into the higher
professions, and the expert mechanic
finds his field growing larger con .inu-
ally, so the physician sees new or spe-
cial diseases confronting him resulting
from new conditions in modern life.
These new diseases receive names from
the lay world which are adopted BY the
scientific people.
THAT has been done before, though,
said physician, Hand 'railfo1a pine
'housemaid's knee. engineers ear and
painters collie are designations which
would probably never have been given
to certain complaints if they had not
been suggested by laymen. OF course,
there are scientific names for all, = he
added, "but they are not used except In
medical literature, and then they are
not so expressive. What Latin scientific
term could properly express police
mans sleep that condition between
sleep and wakefulness when man may
stand or walk and still be unable to see
a side door open or to hear the growl
of the growler?"
Among the new maladies which the
physicians attribute TO recent mechan-
ica1 and scientific inventions is the
trolley foot" The motorman ON cleo
trio and cable ears rings the warning
| gong by pressing his foot upon knob
or button, and il rs said that the con
slant pressure produces an ailment
which had never been known until the
new cars came into use.
In the first place" said motorman,
lit wears out the shoe quicker than
you have any idea: but that's the shoes
fault Then, tapping the knob pro
duces "a tickling sensation at first, and
then the foot gets intlamed OF course,
we know that il can't be anything seri-
Gus, and keep right on kicking the
thing. and after few days the intianl-
nation wears off, the skin gets hard
and we think it's all over and that
Wen have no more trouble. But that's
mistake. Shooting pains aud nervous
twitchings follow, and these are worse
when one is off duty then when kicking
the gong" 1t was explained that in
most instances the difficulty wears
away, but that trolley foot" has
caused many men TO quit the service
of the railroad corporations.
Telephone ear, as result of constant
use of the telephone, has given the ear
specialists considerable work The
structure of the ear is not in any way
affected by the use of the instrument,
but the unnatural use of the organ
frequently causes a nervous strain,
which is reflected in the aural nerves.
When asked about the cure for tele
phone ear an biologist said:
II have never seen a case which was
rot cured in short time after the
cause was removed. When the patient
stops using the telephone the ringing
noises and the headaches soon disap-
| ear"
Bicycle back and bicycle toes are
among the ills which are charged TO the
improper use of the bicycle THE mar
or woman" said physician, who dou
bles up on a wheel cannot escape tn,
bicycle back il he lives long enough
aud the coward on a bicycle is apt tc
contract the bicycle toe which results
from ',arling up the foot 1t is
strange thing" h. added. but it i!
true at the nervous rider. who con
srantiy thinks he Is ~ ont o. Nanlle
will have excruciating pains in his toe!
after short ride, and lie will he trou
bled that way until lie gains confidence
enough in himself TO stop the nervou
contraction of his feet As to tn
bicycle back it is simply natura
consequence. The men who work il
mines and who are compelled to stoopfo
hours at time have what is known a
miners back which is identical witt
bicycle back but while we pity tn
: miners, we condemn the wheelmen."
Telegrapher's cramp is another on
OF the modern complaints. 1t result
from the manipulation of the tele
graphic key, and affects the suffere
in the same way as writer's cramI
The fingers which are used on the Ike
and the whole forearm are frequentl
made useless, and are restored to
normal condition only after scienufi
|, treatment by gymnastics and massag'
Typewriter's cramp is much like tn
telegrapher's cramp, but as both hand
are used in writing on the machine
SO both hands are often involved in th
abnormal condition.--N, Y. Tribune