The Wilmington morning star., 1946-11-28
The Doctor Says
ANALYSTS PUZZLED
by NERVE DISEASE
BY WILLIAM A. O'BRIEN NJ r.

Multiple (disseminated) scIero.
sis, a chronic disease of the M,
vous system, can produce SWIM
toms in every part of the BODY
This disease has manv bsffiD,
features. The announcement tbot
special organization has hoo.
launched to study multiple scIeTn.
sis will come as welcome new, =,
its many victims.
Multiple sclerosis is a disease =.
ups and downs. New symntor.
appear or old ones become mnrs
severe Immediately following no.
RODS in which the patient al.
though partially incapacitated. j.,
able to get along fairly well. Re-.
missions up to more than 20 Years
in length have been reported in
some cases Of the disease.
The current number of cases 4,
multiple sclerosis is not known ~.
though the disease apparently i
more common than it is generailI
realized.
1t is a disease of young aduIts
between the ages of 20 and 40, al.
though it can occur in younger or
older individuals. Multiple Sole.
rosis creates many problems due ia
the Fact that it strikes durin,
the period of life which is vital 10
the creation and development Of
the family.
The cause of multiple sclerosis
is not known. The disease An.
parently is most common in tho
northern states and in the Great
Lakes district; it is ~infrequent in
the Orient and in the southern
part of the United States.
Patients with multiple sclerosis
may complain Of double vision.
weakness, difficulty in walking,
numbness, tremors, speech prob.
lens, bladder difficulties, and
many other troubles.
The striking characteristic oi
patients with this disease is their
remarkable cheerfulness, which
enables them to carry on in the
face Of adversely.
Attempts to treat the disease
are based oupon the possibility that
it may be caused by some form
of deficiency disease, by blood
which clots too easily, or by spasra
Of the vessels in the brain or cord,
Infections, emotional strains, and
pregnancy may aggravate it, and
a cold climate may aid in its de.
velopment.
In multiple sclerosis, the spinal
cord %undergoes patchy degenera.
ton in which not all of the nerve
fibers are destroyed. The pa.
tents ability to recover partially
from time to time is due to re.
growth of the remaining nerve
fibers in the degenerated area.
Although multiple sclerosis has
been a problem for years, it has
not been until recently that an Or
ganized effort to conduct research
on the disease has developed.
For years multiple sclerosis pa.
tients have attempted to help one
another by acting as clearing.
houses of information on their con.
dition. Now the public is asked to
improve its understanding Of mul.
tiple sclerosis, so that progress in
the diagnosis and treatment Of the
disease can be made.
Anyone who is interested in
learning more about this vital
project should write to: Associa.
ton for Advancement of Research
on Multiple Sclerosis, Inc, Acad'
envy of Medicine Building, Fifth
Ave. and 103rd St., New York %,
NY.
QUESTION: When should a
mole be removed? Which moles,
that is. are liable to become can
cerous?
ANSWER: A new mole, a mole
which is irritated, or a mole which
grows is dangerous and should be
removed to prevent cancer.
deceased and all the traditional