Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-11-04
TREMORS
By H. Addington Bruce

T%REMORS-slight or massive involuntary
movements in face, hands, legs, or
other parts of the body-have many
causes. They may signify nothing more Sc
rious than fatigue, or, at the opposite ex-
IRENE, they may be symptoms of a profound
organic disorder of the central nervous sys-
tenn.
In the first instance they are transient dis
appearing with rest. In the second they are
persistent and tend to become worse with
the advance Of the disease responsible for
them. Mere persistence of tremor, how
ever, does not necessarily mean that it is as
ISOLATED with severe organic malady.
1t may be-and it usually is-indicative of
nothing but functional nervous disturbance.
Which means that it is the result of con-
scious or subconscious overixing Of the at
tention on the affected bodily part and that
a cure can be brought about by treatment de-
signed to break up this faulty attention habit
person, for example, experiences a severe
emotional shock, the shock of great fright,
of bad news, of financial loss, etc. He reacts
to this by trembling violently, perhaps by
losing consciousness.
Ordinarily all physical signs of the emo
tional stress which has crushed him would
soon disappear But, possibly because Of i'll
health or over fatigue at the time of the
shock, the trembling continues.
This leads him to worry over it and to pay
undue attention to it. He conceives the idea
that it must be a serious, perhaps incurable,
ailment In this way, by perpetually watch
ing it and brooding over it, he keeps it in
evidence long after it would otherwise have
ceased to trouble him.
Let him, however, become persuaded that
it Is Of no particular account, let his atten-
ton be effectually diverted from it, and the
cure of which he had despaired will speedily
be wrought.
accordingly, must be psychological rather
than medical 1t must be treatment by sug-
gestion, aiming to establish confidence in the
durability of the tremOr and aiming also to
train the patient to think less about it.
For this purpose exercises to re-establish
control over the tremulous muscles are
both directly and indirectly helpful. Such
exercises, it should be added, are to be recon-
mended even in cases where the trouble has
an organic basis in some progressive disease.
To quote the findings of DR.. J. Madison
Taylor, a Philadelphia physician who has
specialized in the study and treatment of
both functional and organic tremors:
when muscle freeing, regulating, train
ing exercises are skillfully used an important
contribution is made toward repair of cen
trail LESSONS through functional stimulation
local circulatory adjustment in cerebral and
associated cells, hence of nutrition in critical
areas. .. Good results follow in even
such seriously degeneratiye state as paraly-
sis agitans."
DR.. Taylor, of course, does not claim that
an outright cure can be effected in cases of
tremor due to nerve wasting. But he does
insist that marked reduction of disability
may be obtained, "co-ordination noticeabIy
improved" and "tremor lessened."
AS for the functionally nervous-that is
the great majority of tremor victims-the
outlook is always bright to the highest degree.
provided only that they place themselves in
the care of practitioners competent to de-
Yelop in them, whether by suggestion plus
muscle training or by suggestion alone, the
proper mental attitude toward their tremor.
copyright, 1919, by the Associated News
papers)