Year: 1876

|


APOPLEXY.


The most superficial observer must have no
ted the alarming increase in that sudden
and fatal disease, Apoplexy. More of our
eminent men are carried off hy this disease
or one of its attendents, Paralysis, than
| perhaps by any other cause, and authors are
especially liable to any attack. The cause.
which lead to this condition are best account
ed for in a late number Of the Populdy
Science Monthly, by DR.. j. X Black. He
says that in middle-lite bloolve,sels in the
brain are apt to lose some Of their elastic
strength. When food is abundant ard Ji-
gestion good, blood is corously formed, and
but little is worked off by exercise, the ten
sion upon every artery and vein is ut n max
imum, and at the weakest point vessel
gives way, blood is poured out, and Il clot
is formed, which produces urconsciousness
by its pressure on the brain. This IS an
apoplestic stroke. The cause of it is clearly
a lessened strength ofvessels and an increas-
ed tension upon them. No vessels are so
'iNiuNh''l I"PlttSh ~ 'bpS' WINCH 'dllN
blood to the brain ; the cuases of which are
fatty degeneracy which i. apt to take place
in the middle arteral coat of the cerebral
vessels, whereby their elastic strength is
much impaired


There are two forms of degenpracy found
in the arteries of the brain; the fatty and
the calcareous. The microscope shows that
in many cases the strong, elastic iibrcs which
should make up the substance of the middle
arterial coat, are, in places here and there,
no longer to be seen, their place being oc-
cupied by fatty globules, which have very
little resisting power. He attributes this
change mainly to the use Of ardent spirits
and tobacco. These are the chief agents
which affect the nervous system. Delirium
tremens, insomnia ,tremulous hands and ner-
vous headaches, show the effects of the hab.


tual use of stirnulants and narcotics. Ar
dent spirits tend also to produce an over
fullness of the cerebral vessels, and influence
injuriOusly the nervous centres and any
interference with the nutrition Of any part
of the body is simply to impair the life and
power of the structure. The evidences Of
impairment are seldom apparent during the
prime of youthful vigor; but the mischief
is going on, and the organ upon which the
weight Of infringement falls will at length
manifest sign of disease, and through it
Death will make its final conquest. The
apoplectic attack is very frequently not a
very severe one The rupture may be small
but it shows the condition of the vessels,
and soon larger rents will be made which
the powers of Nature are incapable of re-
pairing. When the sort of life has been led
which is most likely to produce weakness
and fragility in the coats of the vessels of
the brain, the remedy obviously is to dimin-
ish and keep the tension on these vessels by
the blood at low rate all the time. This
can be done by cutting off supplies. When
water-hose are weak, prudence avoids for
cling water too strongly into them. High
pressure n such cases must produce fatal
results. The death of Charles Dickens was
case in point. The brain-work he per-
formed was immense. He used wine and
meat literally, disregarded the signs ofstruc-
tural decay, and forced his reluctant brain
to do what it had once done with ease until,
under greater tension than ordinary, weak
vessel gave way and flooded the brain with
blood.


A stroke of apoplexy most frequently oc-
ours after eating hearty meal. In advan-
ced life il is not uncommon to find portions
Of the middle coat ofthe arteries of the brain
especially at its base, displaced by lime par
ticles, which render them easily torn. Prop
er regulations in eating. and drinking are
the only means TO be relied on for preven-
tion, Bloodletting was formerly resorted
to. But it is very unsafe. After bleeding,
blood is more rapidly formed, and the diff
Guilty is constantly renewed while the pa
tient, who is led to suppose this is the true
remedy, is apt to rely upon it, and other
wise to take no care, When advancing age
puts check upon exercise, decided check
should be put upon the daily consumption
of food otherwise an accumulation Of sur
plus blood must result. Men well past the
middle age, who exercise very little, often
eat as freely of nutritious food as in their
younger days, This is extremely danger
ous-producing too great tension on the
vascular system, To keep down superhuous
blood, vegetable food is the best. Animal
food makes blood with dangerous rapidly.
Even vegetable food should not lie used so
literally as in middle life. The true rule is
not to eat to entire safety. Even those of
younger years and OF sedentary habits win
feel lighter and better in every way by leav-
ing the table while little hungry All
strong liquors are unsuited to those with an
apoplectc tendency, One of their promi-
nent effects is to cause degeneration in
the coating Of the blood-vessels, another is to
drive more than the usual amount of blood
to the brain.


SERVIAN MINsTRELsY.- One of the most
interesting incidents Of Seryiap life il their