Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-13
VERTIGO

In addition to the five senses ordt-
narily recognized there is a sixth sense
the sense of equilibrium. The or
gan OF balance' Is a group of connect
ing cavities called the semI-circular
canals, located in the wall of the skull
just back oil the ear. These cana are
filled with a watery fluid and are dis
posed in three different planes so that
Wnen the head is tilted in any given
direction the fluid in one or more of
the canals must flow in a certain way
and assume a new relative position.
Into the mud number OF minute hairs
project from the walls of the semi
circular canals and the halls are bent
to anu fro according to which way tie
mud flows. These hairs are the ter
mlnal endings of sensory nerve nbers
which pass up into the brain and coA-
meet with a receptive center equi-
librium." When the head or whole
body is tilted IN a given direction the
fluid in the canals flows in accordance
with fixed phyS.cal laws, the halILke
endings of The nerves are stimulated
in definite way and definite percep-
tion of change of position is registered
at the center in the b. ain. Thus IL is
that a normal man can maintain h s
balance though blind1olded, and can
perceive his relative position in the
dark. This involuntary perception of
position is called "orientation."
Any disturbance OF the semi-circular
canals, of the receptive center in the
brain, or of the nerve fibers which con-
meet these two eXtremities of the mech
anism of balance, will produce Vei tigo.
For vertigo, or dizziness, is noth.ng
other than a disturbance of the sense
of equilibrium.
1t is surprising what variety of
things may disturb the mechanism of
equilibrium. The twirl OF the waItz Is
often sufficient to make one dizzy, the
rapid and continuous change of posi-
tion setting up such disturbance of
the Semi-circular canal fluid as to
overstimulate the receptive center in
the brain and cause a confusion of the
sense of balance. Rapid revolutions
or the body may get up sort of Cir
cu.ation in the canals which keeps up
the sense OF rapiu circular motion after
the Douy has ceased to reVolve.
Toxic substance absorbed into the
blood may bring on vertigo by rr-tat-
ing the brain centers. Thus a.conol,
nicotine, Quinine and several otner
drugs are able to make one drunk" Ii
taken in sufficient quantity. Likewise
the toxins from various kinds of
germs may disturb the center of equi-
lIbrium. Even the poisons absorbed
during the auto-intoXicatlon of inteS-
tinal indigestion may cause vertigo in
this r'ay.
Another way in which the circulation
may cause dizziness is by sudden
change of volume or pressure. In
fainting spells we grow dizzy because
the blood leaves the head. The sudden
change in pressure disturbs the action
of all the brain centers. Too much
blood in the brain may produce vertigo
also.
Everyone has noticed that dizziness
and nausea go together. The eXplana-
tion is that che root or deep origin of
the pneumogastric nerve which goes to
the stomach is situated very close to
the deep origin or center in the brain
of the nerve to the semi-circular ca
nails. Thus disturbance in the stom-
ach is likely to bring on reflex trouble
in the semi-circular canals and vice
versa. 1t is probable that the motion
of ships produces nausea partly by
oVerWorking the semi-circular canals
and their center.
A tumor in the brain may cause Ver-
tigo by pressing on the equilibrium
center or on the nerve fiberS. Vertigo
from a tumor or organic change in the
brain is always continuous and pro-
gressive.
Inasmuch as the semi-circular canals
connect directly with the cavity of the
internal ear, it is not surprising that
almost any form of ear trouble may
bring on vertigo. The worst of all types
of vertigo is that brought on by the
rupture of a small blood vessel into
the semi-circular canals. The rupture
is accompanied by loud report, audi
BILE only to the victim, and is followed