Year: 1875




brain-worker little past middle life has rea'
son to fear, it is apoplexy. Although stats,
tical evidence is wanting, the experience Of
the physician confirms the popular belief that
more of our distinguished men are carried of
by this disease, or by one of its sequels, paral'
ysis, than by any other cause. There are no
vessels carrying blood to and from the various
organs of the body which so frequently rup-
ture, as those in the brain. The causes that
produce this result are the fatty degeneracy
of the middle arterial coat of the cerebral
vessels, whereby their elastic strength is much
impaired, the great irregularity of the blood
distribution to the contents of the Uranium,
and the little support which the pulpy SUBJ
stance of the brain gives to the weakened ves'
sells imbedded in it. The chief causes which
produce this structural change are the habit
ual use of ardent spirits and tobacco. Every
one is aware that the leading effects of these
agents on the body are such as show that the
functions of the nervous system are more at.
fected than any other, and the physician also
knows that whenever symptoms Of disorder
arise from their use, they are such as denote
that the nervous system is almost alone i'm
plicated.


Ardent spirits also tend to produce an over.
fullness of the cerebral vessels, and to affect
the functions of the brain in manner which
strangely blends stupidity, brightness, and
exhilaration. Effects so unnatural, and so
frequently ending in disease, influence inju-
riously the nutrition of the nervous centres.
And to interfere with the nutrition of any
part of the body is simply to impair the life
and power of its structure. The evidence of
this impairment may not be felt Immediately.
In fact the evidences of impairment by any
bad habit are seldom apparent during the
prime of youth and vigor. But the mischief
is going on, nevertheless, and the organ upon
which the weight of Infringement falls will be
the one that will first manifest signs of disease,
and through which death will make its con-
quest over the body.


During sleep the brain is almost bloodless ;
its substance seems to shrink into liteless
mass but the moment that wakefulness oc-
ours it swells out, gets red, its arteries and
veins becoming distended with tide of blood.
No other part of the body is subject to such
drouths and floods in its circulation. This
inequality is still further increased by severe
mind labor. The ardent student is we'll aware
that deep thought heats the head and cools
the feet The first apoplectic stroke, as 9
rule, Is hot a severe one a little blood escapes
by tiny rent, the shock to the system slows
the action to the heart, the escape of blood
ceases, and nature heals the part torn, and
removes the blood.clot by absorption. Then,
as the blood-vesselsi in the brain grows weaker
under q greater tension than ordinary, q larger
rent is made, allowing the blood to escape in
hopeless profusion Napoleon stood in great
dread of this disease, and was told by his
medical adviser, "Sire, the first attack is a
warning, the second summons, the third a
summons to execution"


What is to be done by those who inherit a
tendency to apoplexy or whose habits OF lite
predspose them to this disease Clearly to
diminish and keep The tension on these YES
sells by the blood at low rate all the time.
A prudent fre-engineer, when his water-hose
are old and weak, would work them at low
pressure. Men must carry out the same sim.
pie mechanical principle when there is reason
to believe that the vessels of the brain are
getting weak and brittle. A
stroke of apoplexy occurs frequently after a
full meal


AS soon as old age puts a decided check on
the amount of daily exercise, it is time to put
decided check on the amount of food daily
consumed. The kind of food best adapted to
keep down superAuous blood is the vegetable.
Even those of younger years and sedentary
habits will feel lighter and better in every
way by leaving the table hungry. All strong
liquors are unsuited to those with an apoplep-
tic tendency, for reasons already given.-Pop'
allar Science Monthly.