Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-15
THE SCREAMING NERVE


metabolisn,- too rapid formation of
END products" from food, or the retention
Of these products in the system. Elinlina-
tion-hrst, last, and all the tirne-pro1nises
the best results here.
Perhaps the most interesting of all 4spe-
cies' of neuritis, from the viewpoint of one
who is on the outside looking in, is beriberi
or kakke, very common in our Philippine
possessions and in Japan, China, India,
Cevlon, and other tropical localities. 1t
furnishes perpetual bone Of contention to
medical men,-half OF whom vehemently
contend that it is due to eating white bread,
or rice from which the pericarp (the outer
shelD has been removed; while the re-
mainder, with equal vigor, insist that it is
produced by rllicroorganism that has not
yet been corraled, hog-tied, and branded.
1t is very significant, to say the least, that
this disease has been produced in pigeons
by feeding them hullcd or polished rice,
and then afterward cured by feeding them
the hulls and also that Newfoundland
fishermen who eat white bead exclusively,
because they can get nothing elsc,--and
among whom beriberi IS very prevalent,
"clear up" after they get whole wheat bread
for awhile; also that an extract Of the peri
carp substance seems materially to "nelp'
the kakke.
ONE of the greatest dangers Of neufitis is
- the possibility of forming the morphine
habit Painful diseases Of the nerves, more
than any other bodily condition, furnish an
excuse for resorting to narcotic drugs for the
temporary relief that generally fellows their
use. Then suddenly, before the patient is
aware of it, he is fast in the clutches of his
worst enemy. For the poison that brings
the surceasc from pain, which smooths the
furrowed brow, and bushes the anguished
nerves, is really an enemy whose fangs are
fastened deep in the very soul of its all but
hopeless victim. The pain, twitching, and
irritation of neuritis return in tenfold severity
when the effects of the benumbing drug are
dissipated, or when it is purposely withheld,
and if the condition for which it was given is
not corrected, there is but small chance of
withstanding the hell OF morphine withdrawal
and of nerve inflammation at the same time.
Better refuse the first dose OF morphine,
and you will never have to tear the life
sapping vampire of the one-hundredth or
the one-thousandth dose from your throat.
Remember that, no matter how snilingly it
beckons, morphine is a fearful handicap to
carry to the goal Of recovery from ncuritis.
1t locks up the secretlonS, and prevents
proper elimination, it retards digestion and
assimilation, and causes defects and NAL
nutrition that develop the very condition
it is supposed to relieve.
After all is said, the principal thing to do
for screaming nerves is to find out what they
are yelling about-like faithful old nurse
turning baby over and examining it care
fully for the pin. If we find the pin, the
thing that makes Baby yell, and remove it,
there is very good chance that it will stop its
hullabaloo-after reasonable and proper
period of expressing resentment has elapsed.
And remember, in many cases, it takes quite
awhile to locate this pin and remove it.
That is what makes neuritis such an in
teresting disease. There are so many things
it can be, and only few that it is. Its
cause is like the needle in the bale of hay.
We know it is there-but where? The
search for this cause, and its cure, when
found, may consume years. But it will be
time and effort well spent; for no one yet
was very happy and contented with Scream
ing Nerves