Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-05
YOUR
HEALTH
SOME Y FACTS
Copyright. 1891. by Newspaper Features. Inc.
BY ROYAL S. COPELAND, M. D.

" AASnAtiAs ~ Aohh otSF
A withered hand is a helpless and
useless member. It's condition is due to
atrophy-the scientific name for with
ering-pf the muscles. In turn, the
.Atzcphyf of the muscles nay be due to
atrophy of the nerves which direct the
muscles.
Running to and from the brain or
central nervous system are endless lines
OF nerves. which are like telephone
wires running to n form the central
office, When you touch a hot thing
the nearest station at the end OF that
particular nerve line notifies the cen
trail office. immediately there is sent
back an order to the muscles to JERK
your hand ava from the hot thlns
you are touching. -
This communication and the resulting
action take place before you are con
scious of what has happened. You
may be sucking your thumb before you
become conscious that you have been
burned.
If the nerves are withered or afro
phied they have lost their power to re
spond. They are dead and useless.
The higher special senses like hearing
and seeing, have highly organized ana
delicate special nerves. Inc nerve 2,
hearing is called the auditory nerve
The nerve Of sight is called the opllc
nerve"
What the Optic Nerve Is
The optic nerve is really an extension
forward and outward Of the brain 1T
self. 1t is as if the brain mad shot OUT
q finger in order to get closer TO tne
world, and to be in constant touch WIN
its affairs. Instead of a nerve Oh lte,-
Ing. Nature created a powerful seeing
organ. At the end of this finger OF
nerve tissue she placed n combination
searchlight, telescope and microscope
Nothing is more marvellous IN Its stfuc-
ture or more effective for its purpose
than the human eye.
You can see that, perfect as it is IN
health, the eye would be of no service
il the optic nerve lost its power OF con-
duction. If the optic nerve wlthers Or
atrophies, the eye becomes a dead u
useless thing.
There are several causes for adult
blindness-cataract, glaucoma, atrophy
of the optic nerve. Cataract and the
resulting blindness can be removed Gy
an operation. Glaucoma is frequently
amenable to treatment, with improve
ment of sight. But atrophy Of the optic
nerve! This is well-nigh hopeless.
The oculist uses an instrument called
the "ophthalmoscope." This is a little
mirror. perforated IN the center, anu
having fitted back of the hole a series
of minute lenses set in a revolving disc.
The doctor looks through the perfora-
ton into the patients eye, which IS
Illuminated by the reflection of a lamp
directed into the eye by the mirror.
The disc is ~revolved until the right
lens for that particular eye is found,
and then the doctor sees all the details
of the deep parts of the patients eye.
The interior of the eye is very beau
tifuI and wonderful. You can see the
'nerve-heads-the round area of nerve
tissue at the point where the optic
nerve enters the eye on it's way forward
from the brain.
In Health and Disease
Out of the middle of the optic disc
or nerve-head a blood-vessei, the
retinal artery. This divides into
branches which pass over the edge OF
the disc to supply the retina of the eye
with blood and nourishment. This blood
is returned through veins uniting in one
vessel, which passes back into the optic
nerve alongside the artery.
In health, the optic disc is a delicate
pink. In optic nerve atrophy it is white
and dead-appearing. It may even have
all gone, and the blood-vessels are con-
a silvery appearance. The pinkness is
tracted. THE life has gone from the
nerve, and it is a dead and useless
thing, incapable of transmitting to the
brain pictures of the beautiful world.
Sight has been replaced by blindness.
Fortunately, optic nerve atrophy is
an uncommo disease. Serious blood