Paralysis. — Symptoms. — After the immediate symptoms of
an attack of apoplexy have passed away, more permanent
effects are often left in the form of palsy of some of the mus-
cles, or of insensibility of parts of the surface of the body.
The body may be palsied vertically, that is, one-half of the
body from head to foot, may have lost its sensibility to
external impressions, or the muscles on the side of the body
may have lost their power of moving the limbs. When the
right side of the body is paralyzed, there is very often a
defect in the power of speech, by which the patient uses wrong
words to express his ideas. Or, the palsy may effect the body
transversely, the trunk and limbs below a certain line having
lost their power. Another more restricted loss of power may
occur, as local paralysis. Thus, one hand, or one foot, may
be palsied, or the muscles of one side of the face alone may
suffer; or, again, the tongue and palate, etc., may have lost
their free movement without impairment of the muscular
power of other parts of the body.
MEDICINAU 355
Treatment. — If the case come under treatment soon after
the attack of apoplexy, the symptoms more readily yield to
treatment; but the result too commonly is that some degree of
paralytic impairment is commonly left behind. In the early
phases of this affection, the careful administration of small
doses of mercurials — e. g., two grains of blue pill, night and
morning, continued for a week or ten days, unless it produce
tenderness of the gums and flow of saliva, when it should
immediately be stopped. This effect should be carefully
watched against day after day. The effects of the mercurial
will be assisted by some form of counter irritation, such as
blistering the nape of the neck, and keeping the blister open
by dressing it with savine ointment, or by rubbing the follow-
ing ointment on the nape of the neck, night and morning, until
an eruption of pimples appears: Tartar emetic, i drachm; lard,
or spermaceti ointment, i ounce. Mix.
After the mercurial has been discontinued, tonic medicines
will be found of service, such as steel, quinine, and cod-liver
oil.
Pregnancy. — Signs of. — It is sometimes a difficult matter
to determine the fact of pregnancy. There is, however, strong
ground for belief in its existence, if under possible conditions
menstruation becomes suspended in a healthy woman, previ-
ously regular in her periods. If to this sign be added, after
about four or five weeks, the occurrence of morning sickness,
with enlargement of the breasts .and development of the
glands around the nipple, which begins to be encircled by an
areola of darkening skin, the suspicion becomes strengthened,
and, generally speaking, time confirms it.
Management of. — Of the management of the period of
pregnancy there is not much to be said, as each woman may
act according to her ordinary mode of life and circumstances
when in good health.
Page 258
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Paralysis. — Symptoms. — After the immediate symptoms of an attack of apoplexy have passed away, more permanent effects are often left in the form of palsy of some of the muscles, or of insensibility of parts of the surface of the body. The body may be palsied vertically, that is, one-half of the body from head to foot, may have lost its sensibility to external impressions, or the muscles on the side of the body may have lost their power of moving the limbs. When the right side of the body is paralyzed, there is very often a defect in the power of speech, by which the patient uses wrong words to express his ideas. Or, the palsy may effect the body transversely, the trunk and limbs below a certain line having lost their power. Another more restricted loss of power may occur, as local paralysis. Thus, one hand, or one foot, may be palsied, or the muscles of one side of the face alone may suffer; or, again, the tongue and palate, etc., may have lost their free movement without impairment of the muscular power of other parts of the body.
Treatment. — If the case come under treatment soon after the attack of apoplexy, the symptoms more readily yield to treatment; but the result too commonly is that some degree of paralytic impairment is commonly left behind. In the early phases of this affection, the careful administration of small doses of mercurials — e. g., two grains of blue pill, night and morning, continued for a week or ten days, unless it produce tenderness of the gums and flow of saliva, when it should immediately be stopped. This effect should be carefully watched against day after day. The effects of the mercurial will be assisted by some form of counter irritation, such as blistering the nape of the neck, and keeping the blister open by dressing it with savine ointment, or by rubbing the following ointment on the nape of the neck, night and morning, until an eruption of pimples appears: Tartar emetic, i drachm; lard, or spermaceti ointment, i ounce. Mix.
After the mercurial has been discontinued, tonic medicines will be found of service, such as steel, quinine, and cod-liver oil.
Pregnancy. — Signs of. — It is sometimes a difficult matter to determine the fact of pregnancy. There is, however, strong ground for belief in its existence, if under possible conditions menstruation becomes suspended in a healthy woman, previously regular in her periods. If to this sign be added, after about four or five weeks, the occurrence of morning sickness, with enlargement of the breasts .and development of the glands around the nipple, which begins to be encircled by an areola of darkening skin, the suspicion becomes strengthened, and, generally speaking, time confirms it.
Management of. — Of the management of the period of pregnancy there is not much to be said, as each woman may act according to her ordinary mode of life and circumstances when in good health.