PALSY.

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dial medicines. All evacuations are carefully to be avoided. Thepatient may take frequently a glass of good wine, in which a littlePeruvian bark has been infused.

Palsy. (Paralysis.)

Palsy is a loss or diminution of sense or motion, or of both, inone or more parts of the body. Of all the affections called ner-vous, this is the most suddenly fatal. It is more or less danger-ous, according to the importance of the part affected. A palsy ofthe heart, lungs, or any part necessary to life, is mortal. Whenit affects the stomach, the intestines, or the bladder, it is highlydangerous. If the face be affected, the case is bad, as it showsthat the disease proceeds from the brain. When the part affectedfeels cold, is insensible or wastes away, or when the judgment andmemory begin to fail, there is small hope of a cure.

In some instances the disease is confined to a particular part orset of muscles ; but it more usually happens that one entire partof the body from the head downwards is affected, which is knownby the name of hemiplegia. If the power of motion and sense offeeling in the half of the body, taken transversely, be impaired,the complaint is denominated paraplegia.

Causes. — The immediate cause of palsy is any thing that pre-vents the regular exertion of the nervous power upon any particu-lar muscle or part of the body. The occasional and predisposingcauses are various, as drunkenness ; wounds of the brain, or spinalmarrow ; pressure upon the brain, or nerves ; very cold or dampair; the suppression of customary evacuations; sudden fear; wantof exercise; or whatever greatly relaxes the system, as drinkingmuch tea,* or coffee. The palsy may likewise proceed fromwounds of the nerves themselves, from the poisonous fumes of met-als or minerals, as mercury, lead, arsenic, &c.

When palsy attacks any vital part, such as the brain, heart, orlungs, it soon terminates fatally. When it arises as a conse-quence of apoplexy, it generally proves very difficult of cure.Paralytic affections of the lower extremities, ensuing from any in-jury done to the spinal marrow, by blows and other accidents, usu-ally prove incurable.

Treatment. — In young persons of a fuH habit, the palsy mustbe treated in the same manner as the sanguine apoplexy. Thepatient must be bled, blistered, and have his body opened by sharpclysters or purgative medicines. But in old age, or when the dis-ease proceeds from relaxation or debility, which is generally thecase, a quite contrary course must be pursued. The diet must bewarm and invigorating, seasoned with spiey and aromatic vegeta-bles, as mustard, hor&e-radish, &c. The drink may be generous

"Many people imagine, th.it tea has no tendency {o hurt the-nerves, and that drink-ing tne same quantity of' warm water womld be equally pernicious. This, however,seems to be a mis! ike. Many persons drink three or four caps of warm milk andwater daily, without fceiing any bad consequences: yet the same quantity of tea wiltmake their hands shake for twenty-four hours. That ton affects the nerves, is likewiyevident from its preventing sleep, occasioning giddjne*, dirrajejïs cf Ule sight, sick-ness, &c.

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