Evening star., 1900-04-25
THE NATURE OF APHaSIA.
Curious Disease of the speech Gen.
ters of the Rrain.

From the New York Herald.
The young man who was recently lost TO
himself and his friends because he could
not recollect his name or place of resi-
dence is said to have been a victim Of that
curious disease of the speech centers of the
brain called aphasia. 1t Is well known that
in young persons it is frequently caused. as
evidently in this instance, by excessive or
strained mental exertion, while I'm older in
dividuals it has its origin either in limited
apoplexies due to brittle arteries or TO plug
ging of some of the nutrient vessels Of the
brain by small blood clots that have "s-
capped in the circulation. Usually when
either OF the latter conditions exists TO any
marked degree there is more or less conf
plete paralysis of one side of The body,
owing TO the cutting off of the blood supply
OF involved brain centers.
The purely functional phase Of the dis
Older admits of almost any possible range
Of comparative seriousness, from the tenn
porary forgetfu1ness of the right word pr
the name of a friend to complete blot Of
memory regarding them. Memories of To-
calittes are sometimes temporarily lost in
the same way, and with many perfectly
rational beings 1t is impossible to recollect
abstract figures such without some
mnemonic equivalent. While all this proves
how impossible it may be for the majority
of us to be ourselves at all times. 1t is also
evident that these temporary lapSes with
absence of brain injury have no real sig
nificance.
The ability to communicate our ideas
through either written or spoken language.
the memory of words signifying ideas or
things, and the ability to recognize such .
designations by their sounds or forms are
very complex processes, showing the inti-
mate relations that exist between these CO.
ordinating functions. The latter may he
singly or collectively affected in different
degrees, that an aphasic person, for in
stance. may lose the power to express diff
arf arf1G hx- nan nF
their significance or indications, may not
recognize or apply them when heard or
written, or may voluntarily substitute them
for others of an entirely different meaning.
Thus In so many different ways he may he
cut off from intelligent communication with
the outside world.
The latest studies of these remarkable
disabilities have demonstrated the close in
accommodation of the different brain
centers which respectively control the
varied functions involved. II would thus
appear. from the standpoint of ordinary
comparison. to be either question of cut
or crossed wires along corporate lines or Of
trouble with the switchboard itself.
When the aphasic attack occurs suddenly,
as 1t sometimes ices the sufferer when
away from those who know him, is GER
tainly in very bad way. painfully
evident in the instance of the young man
referred to, who, being lost for days, event.
ually only found his home by the merest
accident. All this occurred in the heart OF
a great city in which there were thousands
OF people Wlln WHOM ne must nave come IN
more or less direct contact. and who would
have been glad to have assisted him in his
trouble. 1t is difficult to conjecture what
might have become of the poor sufferer
under different circumstances. Indeed, the
contemplation of possibilities in other direc-
tions may throw some light on the numer-
sudden and seemingly unaccountable
disappearance of persons who, when last
seen. were apparently in good health and in
possession of all their faculties. 1t is nOt
unreasonable to suppose that some OF the
likewise afflicted subjects are never found.
in spite of the widest advertising, unless by
a happy chance they meet with some one
who recognizes them.
1t is quite true that all the stray ones do
not come under this category, some are
murdered and hidden, others are drowned
and not recovered. while still others are
insane and elude their keepers: but in view
of the facts before we may have another
that happen in a great city.
Perhaps. after all, the best practical les
son taught by the sad story of this lost
young man is that which applies to like and
possible experiences in ourselves. Loss of
consciousness is always deplorable. but con-
sequent helplessness away from home is
doubly so, especially when there are no
means of identifying the victim. 1t is be-
cause We think that nothing will happen
that we SO seldom carry our addresses with
us.