Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-22
By J. H. KELLOGG. M. D., IL. D.


DEoPLE who use their hands great
l. deal. especially writer's and office
people, are often subject to strange
movements OF the nature of Irregular
| cramps, or spasms This may be so
serious as to make IL impossible for the
Individual to continue action involving
| these muscles.
This condition is usually known as
writer's cramp,' and sometimes as
"scrivener's palsy" 1t Is condition,
moreover. that is often found among
violin players, among whom 1t is known
as violinists' cramp, while also we nave
| pianlsts' cramp, milkmaids' cramp ana
tailors' cramp. In New England cities
where young girls work at machinery
and do the same thing under hisn ten
| sion for a long time. there has deVei-
oped peculiar cramps and weaknesses
in certain muscles due to overexercise.
All Of these conditions are due to tne
excessive use OF certain groups OF mus
cles and the overuse Of certain nerve
centers which form part OF the nervous
system.
| Doctor Osler reports Investigations OF
seyenty-five cases of impaired Writing
| mower in which all of the instances OF
undoubted writer's cramp were IN mem
| He also finds that In the United otateS
"telegraphers' cramp' Is much less com,
mon among women--only four out OF
! forty-three cases, to be exact PERSONS
of a nervous temperament are more
liable to the disease. Occasionally IL
follows slight injury.
In one investigation 1t was found that
| in n ma jority of the cases fauIty
method OF writing had been employed,
either the little finger or the wrist being
used as the fixed point. Persons VINO
write with the middle OF the forearm or
the elbow as a fixed point are rarely
affected.
Doctor Osler states that no anatomical
changes have been found. The most rel-
sonable explanation of the disease is
that it results from deranged action
of the nerve centers presiding over the
muscular movements involved In the
act of writing. a condition which mas
been termed irritable weakness.
The most important symptom is
cramp or spasm. affecting the fourth
finger and thumb Or this may take
the form of combined movement OF
bending and Strengthening Of the thumb,
a movement that may release the pen
from the grasp and throw It some dis
| tance.
| What is called lock spasm" has also
been known, condition in which the
/ nnBerS contract SO uTflly doout thc peh
that 1t cannot be released. Almost al
ways there is tired feeling present in
the muscles. 1t is very seldom that there
is pain, however, though numbness and
even soreness may be present, as also
shooting pains in the arm.
Rest is the most important treatment.
In the more advanced cases this should
mean cessation from the use of the hand
| for the time being. The fact that the
typewriter has come into almost univer-
| sal use indicates that a great deal can
be accomplished by giving the hands a
complete rest from the cramping grasp
which use of the pen involves
Rest also means that for the time
being one should get plenty of sleep-at
least nine hours-gong to bed early and
rising late, with midday maps. This is
usually better than going to bed and
staying there. A few hours spent out
doors each day will also help to tone
the nerves. Strenuous exercise out
doors is not called for. but rather
gentle exercise like walking, or lying
outdoors in the sunshine.
Often 1t will be found that mod
ifcation of ones habits of writing will
relieve the pain. Many people In writ
ing depend too much upon finger move.
ment 1t has been said by competent
authorities that IL people wrote entirely
from the shoulder, there would be no
such thing as writer's cramp. For this
reason we might say that every one
should substitute for the finger move
ment what is known as the free arm"
movement of writing.
Gentle massage of the fingers and
arm may also be adopted. This will
best be given by a massage expert, and
| Shpnld ha ~ al hxyn nnaaalf nm