The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-01-06
MODERN AILMENTS.
Mechanical Devices That Bring
Evils in Their Train,
The "Trolley Foot" Telephone
Ear" and "Blcycle Toe"

ihrgBr COnluuniiy, 10 tne phy oioi""
sees new or special diseases confront
ing him resulting from new condi-
tions in modern life. These new dis
eases. says the New York Tribune. re.
ceive the names from tho lay world
which are adopted by the scientific
people.
"rhat has been done before.
though" said physician, "and rail-
road spine, 'housemaid's knee, 'en-
gineers ear, and painters collie are
designations which would probably
never have been given to certain COM
plants IL they had not been suggested
by laymen. or course, there are scien-
tific names for ALL" he added. "but
they are not used except in medical
literature, and then they are not 50
expressive"
Among the now maladies which the
pbysicians attribute to recent mechsn-
ical and scientific inventions is the
"trolley foot" Tue motorman on
electric and cable cars rings the warn
ing gong by pressing his foot upon
knob or button, aud it is said that the
constant pressure produces an ailment
which had never been known until the
cars cune into use.
"In the FIRST place" said n motor
man. it wears out the shoe quicker
than you have any idea but that's the
shoes fault. Then, tapping the knob
produces tickling sensation at first,
aud then tho foot gets infamed. OF
course we know that it can't be any
thing serious, and keep right on kick
ing the thing, and after few days the
Inflammation wears off, the skin gets
hard and we think it's all over and
that we'll have no more trouble. But
that's mistake. Shooting pains and
nervous twitchings follow, and these
are worse when one is off duty than
when kicking the gong" 1t was ex'
planned that in most instances the
difficulty wears away, but that ''trolley
foot" had caused many men to quit
the service of tho railroad corpora
tions.
Telephone car, as result of co Istant
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 nervous strain,
which is reflected in the aural nerves E
When asked about the cure for tele-
phone car an biologist snid:
az have never seen a case which
was not cured in short time after
the cause was removed. When the pa
tient stops using tho telephone the
ringing noises aud tho headaches soon
disappear.
Bicycle back and bicycle toes are
among the ills which are charged to
the improper use OF the bicycle. "The
man or woman," said a physician.
"who doubles up on wheel cannot
escape the bicycle back if he lives
long enough. aud the coward on n
bicycle is apt to contract the bicycle
toe" which results from curling up
the foot. 1t is n strange thing" he
added, "but it is true that the ner-
vous rider, who constantly thinks he
is about to tumble, will have excruci-
ating pains in his toes after n short
| ride, and he will be troubled in that
way until he gains confidence enough
in himself to stop the nervous contrac'
ton of his feet. As to the bicycle
back, it is simply natural oonse-
quence. The men who work in mine:
and who are compelled to stoop fol
hours at time have what is known a'
miners back, which is identical with
bicycle back but while we pity th.
miners we condemn the wheelmen."
Telegrapher's cramp is another o.
the modern complaints. 1t results
from the manipulation of the tele
graphic key. and affects the sufferer
in the same way as writer's cramp
The fingers which are used on til,
keys aud the whole forearm arc fire.
quently made useless. and are restored
to a normal condition only after sci
entific treatment by gymnastics ant
massage.
Typewriter's cramp is much lik,
teiegrapher's cramp. but as bott
hands are. used in writing on the ma
shine, so both hands are often in