Science.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 383, 10 September 1903, Page 2

Science.

« ST. VITUS'. DANCE. SfiSN a formor article on the nervous Mm B y a * eiH were described the two great H!g elements of which it was composed —nerve cells and nerve fibres. It showed that of the two the nerve cells were obviously the more important the duty of nerves being merely to carry tliß messages going to or coming from the brain cells. An apt illustration of a nervous trouble of common occurrence, end regarding which various ct respondents have written to me of late from time to time, is the affection known as St. Vitus' Dance. Tbis trouble is known to medical men under the name.of • Chorea/ a term derived, from the Greek word meaning dancing or jumping. It is a curious affection, often causing a great "deal of alarm and trouble to mothers, seeing that it generally occurs in girJs between the fifth and sixteenth year of life, although it may be found, but not so frequently, in the case of boys. One curions point about St. Vitus' Dance is that it may occur after rheumatism, and as this is a trouble that certainly affects the muscles we might jndgo fcere rightly enough of the relation between cause and effect. I also find that it is more frequent when rheumalism come 3 on after an attack of scarlet fever, Kegarding the cause of this curious trouble there is a pretty fair agreement amongst medical men that it is the result of some fciad of mental shock. Children have been known to be affected with it by receiving a severe friglt, but there are case b known in which ao even diatiaefc cause lot the ailment jg

traceable. Whatever, however, be its' origin," thera cannot be tha slightest doubt that it gives us an excellent example of **the neivous troubla, the exact seat of which is by no means clear. Its Nature. The chid feature of St. Vitus' Danc3 is, of course, the want of power to control tte movements ol the muscles. Musc'es form the flesh of our body, and, as rcy readers must know, they form our means of movement. When they contract or grow shorter they pnll together the parts between which they ara attached, and thus eaablo us to discharge all the ordinary duties -of life. In a healthy body we have these muscles well under command. If we wish to move a muscle of the arm, the log, head, cr neck, or other part know that, not being paralysed, we have the power to execute ths movement. In plain language, the ordinary musoles of the body are called voluntary muscles, because they are brought mto play, and are so stimulated at the command of our will. When we do not wish to move them, cr to call them into play, they remain perfectly quiescent. We might, therefore, readily suppose that the brain or the spinal lord, which is the extension of the brain downwards, exercises over the muscles when not is use what we may call an inhibitory action—that is to say, an action restraining any independent movement. Suppose this action from one cause or another is altered, and suppose that the brake, so to speak, is removed from the muscles, then left to their own device f hey may proceed to contract, being stimulated so to do by some part or other of the nervous system over which the brain has for the time being lest control. Also, we must note that the child who has St. Vitus' dance, in addition to being unable practically to sit stiil, cannot use tbe muscles properly, Tho movements are what we call Fpasmodic, or jerky in their nature. Thus the walking will rather be a process of dragging the feet after the patient, and even when sitting the hands are not kept stiil, but exhibit variuu irregular movements. The jaws are also the muscles, and speech, breathing, and swallowing may all in turn be imperfectly performed owing to the same action or condition feffecting the muscles through the nerves, The Treatment, A trouble of this kind, though not necessarily dangerous, it must be confessed, is extremely annoying, not merely to the patient herself, but also to those surrounding her. In a severe case it might be necessary to bleed the sut j act of thia trouble. Happily in many cases it does not last long. Its duration is set down at from two to three months as a rule Under proper treatment it might probably be cured at an earlier stage; but the danger which exists is that it may become chronic and lasting, in which case, of course, the ailment assumes a much more serious character. Amongst the causes of St. Vitus' Danca worms have been included. It is more than probable that this opinion is correct, because the presence of worms in the bowel, whilst oidinarily not giving rise to grave nervous symptoms, are often associated with disturbance of health, arid if we assume that an easily excitable, neivous system exists in the child or youth the presence of these parasites might in. this way aet as a cause of the affection we are considering. Having these latter facts in mind, it may therefore be well to caution parents to make the due inquiry and examination to see whether or not worms may be represented as a causo of the ailment. If the presence of these parasites be detected it is more than probable that their treatment and removal may cure the ease.—-Dk. Wilson.