Mother's Remedies Part 65

APHASIA.--A partial or total inability to express thoughts in words or to interpret perceptions.

Varieties.--Motor and sensory aphasia.

Causes.--Softening of the brain, tumors of the brain, lesions in syphilis especially, hemorrhage in the brain, blows on the head, and inflammation of the brain and its covering.

Symptoms of Motor Aphasia.--The patient cannot make the muscles of the larynx, tongue, palate and lips perform their functions and produce speech. The patient knows what he wishes to say, but cannot p.r.o.nounce it.

This may be complete or partial. Complete, when the patient can only utter separate sounds. Partial, when the words are only slightly misp.r.o.nounced and when some certain words cannot be p.r.o.nounced at all. In some cases, nouns only or verbs cannot be p.r.o.nounced. Agraphia, means inability to write down the thoughts. Sensory aphasia: word deafness. This is an inability to interpret spoken language. The sound of the word is not recognized and cannot be recalled; but sounds such as that of an engine whistle, or an alarm clock, are heard and recognized. Word-blindness: the person cannot interpret written language. Pharaphrasia: cannot use the right word in continued speech; the patient uses words but misplaces them.

[292 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Recovery depends a great deal upon the cause.

Treatment.--Treat the cause. If from syphilis, iodide of potash and mercury. If from an injury or tumors, operate if possible. Teach the patient how to speak, read and write. The result of this often gives you a pleasant surprise.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Hand Nerves.]

WRITERS' CRAMP. Causes.--This occurs much oftener in men than in women, and usually between the ages of twenty-five and forty. The predisposing causes are a nervous const.i.tution, heredity, alcoholism, worry, etc. The chief exciting cause,--excessive writing, especially when it is done under a strain.

Symptoms.--It usually begins with fatigue, weight, or actual pain in the affected muscles. In the spasm form the fingers are seized with a constant or intermittent spasm whenever the person grasps the pen. The neuralgic form is similar in symptoms but severe pain and fatigue comes with writing. The tremulous form: In this the hand when used becomes the seat of the decided tremor. The paralytic form: The chief symptoms are excessive weakness and fatigue of the part and these disappear when the pen is laid aside.

Recovery.--If taken in time and if the hand is allowed perfect rest, the condition may improve rapidly. There is, however, a tendency to recur.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Writers' Cramps.--There must be absolute rest of the hand. General tonics, such as iron, strychnine, a.r.s.enic, and cod-liver oil may be needed to tone up the system.

APOPLEXY. (Cerebral Hemorrhage). (Brain Hemorrhage). Causes.--Bleeding (hemorrhage) into the brain substance is almost always due to an affection of the walls of the large or small arteries of the brain, producing rupture and subsequent bleeding. Persons of fifty or over are more subject to it, and it is more common in men than in women. Any disease that will cause degeneration of the arteries, helps to cause it, such as nephritis, rheumatism, syphilis, gout and alcoholism. Nephritis is one of the most certain causes, because arterio-sclerosis (hardening and decaying of the walls of the arteries) and hypertrophy of the heart are a.s.sociated with nephritis, etc.

[NERVOUS SYSTEM 293]

Direct Causes.--Straining at stool, heavy lifting, anger, rage, fright, etc.; paroxysm of whooping-cough or convulsions may cause it in children.

Symptoms.--Sometimes the patient experiences headache, dizziness, paleness or flushing of the face, fullness in the head, ringing in the ears, etc., temporary attacks of numbness or peculiar tingling in one-half of the body. When the bleeding takes place there is usually loss of consciousness. In the attack:--If the bleeding is extensive the patient falls suddenly into coma, and this may soon prove fatal. If the bleeding is slight at first and gradually increases, the patient is delirious at first, then one arm, then one side, and finally the whole body may become paralyzed, and unconsciousness, and even death may come from the paralysis of the heart and breathing nerve centers. In many cases the patient falls unconscious without previous warning. The face is red, the eyes injected, the lips are blue, the pulse is full and slow, and the breathing is slow and deep. The head and eyes may be strongly turned to the injured side.

The pupils may be unequal. The paralysis may not be noticed while the patient is unconscious and is quiet. The urine and the bowels contents may pa.s.s involuntarily or the urine may be retained. Sometimes when the case is very grave the patient does not awake from his deep sleep (coma); the pulse becomes very feeble, respiration becomes changed, mucus collects in the throat, and death may occur in a few hours or days. In other cases the clot in the brain is gradually absorbed, and the patient slowly returns to consciousness. Sometimes relapses occur. In mild cases instead of deep coma, there may be only headache, faintness, nausea and vomiting.

Subsequent Symptoms.--When the patient improves, consciousness returns, but there remains a half-side paralysis, hemiplegia, on the side and opposite to that of the seat of the injury in the brain. It may not take in the whole side, only a part. The gait is peculiar. In walking the patient supports the paralyzed arm. In many cases the paralyzed parts gradually regain their functions in a few weeks, but not always complete.

The leg improves more than the arm. There is danger of other attacks. When the sleep (coma) is very deep, the breathing is embarra.s.sed, with vomiting and prolonged half-consciousness and extension and complete paralysis, the danger to life is great.

What can I do at once? Loosen the clothing around the neck and waist.

Raise the head and shoulders and put cold to the head (ice bag if you have it) and warmth to the feet, legs and hands. Watch the bladder closely. The urine must be drawn frequently in this disease, especially if there is much paralysis. It may dribble away, but that is not enough. Look out for bed sores, especially if the sickness is a long one.

[294 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

APOPLEXY. 1. Mothers' Remedies, Simple yet Effective Remedy for.--"Place the feet of the patient in hot water and mustard," This is a very simple treatment for such a serious disease, but very often will relieve as the hot bath will cause a reaction, take the pressure of blood from the brain and by this means has been known to save many lives.

2. Apoplexy, Simple Injection for.-"Place dry salt on the tongue and give an injection as follows:

Warm water 1 quart Common salt 2 teaspoonfuls Brandy 1/2 ounce

This injection is recommended for any kind of a shock which affects the circulation."

The injection of the bowels will relieve the congestion by drawing the blood away from the brain.

Medical treatment must be to regulate the diet, bowels, kidneys, and stomach. Restore the general health.

Caution.--A person who has had an attack of this kind may have another.

The mode of life must be changed in most cases. The patient must take things easy. The bowels, kidneys, stomach, and liver must work naturally and the stomach must not be overloaded. Too much meat must not be eaten; alcohol must be let alone; rich foods are prohibited. Hurry, worry, anger, fright, excitement, etc., are bad. Be lazy, take life easy, do not get over-heated, and sleep, sleep, SLEEP,--in a room where there is plenty of good air. Do not lift or strain to have a pa.s.sage of the bowels. Stooping is injurious. The blood must be kept from the head. Take proper care and you are likely to live years longer. And now you may wonder why I give such cautions. Apoplexy is directly due to a breaking of the wall of a blood vessel, large or small; due to a weakening, or decay, or degeneration of the wall. This lets the blood into the substance of the brain and presses upon the nerve centers, causing the trouble and paralysis. Any wrong action tends to fill the blood vessels very full and the weakened wall bursts.

PALSY. Paralysis.--A loss of movement, entire or partial, in the voluntary muscles of the body. When this loss of power is complete it is called paralysis; when it is not complete, paresis.

Causes.--Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, tumors in these parts, accidents and injuries, poisons, apoplexy, etc.

Symptoms.--The patient cannot make all the usual motions of the part. The affected muscles may waste after a time.

Different Varieties.--

(a) Paralysis of the ocular (eye) muscles.--The vision becomes double, the eyelids do not act normally, may droop. The eye may not move in every direction as it should.

(b) Paralysis of the muscles of mastication (eating). Symptoms.--If paralysis is only on one side, it is difficult to chew; if on both sides, chewing is impossible. The jaw hangs down.

[NERVOUS SYSTEM 295]

(c) Paralysis of the facial (face) muscle.--This is a rather common occurrence, and is due to exposure to wet, and cold, diseases of the middle ear, tumors, etc. Symptoms:--The eyelids do not close tightly, and tears are continually trickling over the cheek; the corner of the mouth droops and the saliva runs out, etc. The mild cases last two or three weeks; the severe form from four to six weeks; the worst cases usually recover in a long time.

(d) Paralysis of the muscles of the upper extremity.--There are various and many symptoms, but with all there is the same loss of the usual motion. That particular muscle does not do its special work; for instance, if the paralysis is of the deltoid muscle of the arm and shoulder, it is not possible to raise the arm, usually pain in the shoulder. The muscle soon wastes and the head of the arm bone (humerus) falls away from the shoulder, etc.

(e) Paralysis of the muscles of the lower extremities.--Paralysis of the "Gluteus Maximus and Minimus." (Hip muscles). Lifting up of the thigh is difficult and so is walking up hill or rising from sitting position. The toes are turned out. The other muscles may be paralyzed and simply cannot do their usual duty.

(f) Toxic (poison) paralysis. Lead paralysis.--It is hard to extend the fingers. The lead line is shown on the gums.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Palsy.--Remove the cause. Give salts and iodide of potash. Paralysis from a.r.s.enic, mercury, zinc or copper:--The symptoms are those of neuritis and are greatly similar in each kind. The spongy gums show mercury; the puffy face and diarrhea show a.r.s.enic poison. Remove the cause.

CONGESTION OF THE BRAIN. (Diseases of the Cerebral (Brain) Circulation).

(Hyperaemia).--The brain is too full of blood.

Causes. For Active Congestion.--Over-exertion in study, etc.; chronic pletbora (too much blood in the blood vessels); from constant use of alcohol, tobacco, amyl nitrite, and from the stomach.

For pa.s.sive congestion.--Local obstruction to the return of blood from the brain. Prolonged mental and physical exertion with excesses and irregular living may cause it.

Symptoms of active kind.--Head feels warm, face is red, the arteries in the neck beat hard, violent headache, ears ringing, very restless and does not sleep well.

Symptoms of the pa.s.sive form.--The headache is not so great; there may be stupor, drowsiness and dull intellect and very sleepy.

Recovery.--Favorable if the cause is removed.