The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1897-02-26
MODERN MALADIES.
Mechanical Devices That Bring
Ills in Their Train,
The Trolley Foot" Telephone Ear
bicycle Toe and Telegraphers'
aud 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
fiEds his field growing larger con inu-
ally, so the physician sees new CT spe-
cial diseases confronting him resulting
from new conditions in modern life.
These new diseases receive names from
tho lay world which are adopted by the
scientific people.
That has been done before, though,
said physician, "and railroad spine.
'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. Oh course,
there are scientific names for all, he
added, "but they are not used exc pit in
| medical literature, and then tie, are
not so expressive. What Latin scientific
term could properly express police
mans Sleep that cond ton between
sleep and wahefuIness when a 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 70 recent mechan-
| lead and scientific inventions is the
trolley foot" The motorman ON elec-
trio and cable cars rings the warning
gong by pressing his foot upon a knob
or button, and it is said that the con-
stant pressure produces an ailment
which had never been known until the
new ears came into use.
I'm the first place." said a motorman,
"it wears out the shoe quicker than
| you have any idea; but that's the shoes
fault. Then, tapping the knob pro-
duces q tickling sensation at first, and
then the foot gets intlamed. OF course,
we know that it can't be anything seri-
GUS, and keep right on kicking the
thing, and after few days the inAam-
nation wears off, the skin gets hard
| and we think it's all over and that
We'll have no more trouble. Eut that's
a mistake. Shooting pains and 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 teie-
phone ear an biologist SAID:
81 have never seen case which was
rot cured in a short time after the
cause was removed. When the pat ent
stops using the telephone the ringing
noises and the headaches soon disap-
| Iear."
Bicycle back and bicycle toes are
among the ills which are charged to the
improper use of the bicycle. "The man
CT woman" said physician, who dou-
| bles up on wheel cannot escape the
bicycle back if he lives long enough,
and the coward on a bicycle is apt to
contract the bicycle toe which results
from curling up the foot. 1t is a
strange thing" he added but it is
true that the nervous rider, who con-
srantly thinks he is about to tumble,
will have eXcruciating pains in his toes
after short ride, and he Will be trou-
hled that way until he gains confidence
enough in himself to stop the nervous
contraction of his feet. As to the
bicycle back il is simply a natural
consequence. The men who work in
mines andwhoarecompellcd tostoop for
hours at time have what is known as
miners back, which is identical with
Bicycle back;' but while we pity the
miners, we condemn the wheelmen."
Telegraphers cramp is another one
of the modern complaints. Ii results
from the manipulation Of the tele-
graphic ley, and affects the sufferer
in the same way as writer's cramp
The fingers which are used on the key
and the whole forearm arc frequently
made useless, and are restored to
normal condition only alter scientific
treatment by gymnastics and massage
Typewriter's cramp is much Like the
telegrarher's cramp, but as both hanaS
are used i'm writing on the machlne'
SO both hands are often involved IN inc
abnormal condition,-N. !. Tribune