Therapeutics of nervous diseases, including also their diagnosis and pathology

Front matter

THERAPEUTICS

OF

NERVOUS DISEASES;

Preface

When the author of this work first published his Treatise on Diseases of the Nervous System, our practical knowledge of the therapeutics of nervous diseases was, if not in its infancy, at least far behind what it is to-day. Not only was our clinical experience in many of these affections exceedingly scanty, but as to some of their forms was entirely wanting. Not only so, but much of what was recorded was wholly unreliable, and therefore worthless. It was unreliable, because many diseases of the nervous system which are now known to depend on organic alterations of nerve tissue were then believed to be purely functional, and the temporary ameliorations incident to their course were frequently supposed to be the effects of medical treatment. But now, it may be truthfully affirmed, our knowledge of the pathology and therapeutics of nervous diseases will compare favorably with that of any other class of disorders. The improvement is mainly due to the fact that in most of our colleges competent professors of nervous diseases have for years been constantly and earnestly engaged, not only in imparting a knowledge of these diseases to medical students — among whom are included the majority of our present practitioners — but in clinical investigations, based upon the homoeopathic law, many of which have resulted in important therapeutic discoveries. The consequence is, but few definite lesions of the nervous system remain unprovided with remedies possessing well-recognized and clearly defined characteristic properties homoeopathic thereto, while the therapeutic effects of those previously employed are now, as a rule, better understood and more specifically determined. In short, it is gratifying to know that we are at present in the full tide of success as regards the study and scientific treatment of this important class of diseases.

4 PREFACE.

No apology, therefore, would seem to be needed for the appearance of the present work. On the contrary, the time has arrived when, in the author's opinion, such a Manual of Nervous Therapeutics as is here presented is demanded in the interests of our School.

As the chief excellence of a work of this kind is reliability, the author has been careful to make use of only such material, out of the large amount available for the purpose, as he could safely and fully indorse. Hence, comparatively few of the more recently introduced remedies have been admitted, except under the head of auxiliary treatment. This is especially true as regards those occasionally employed in the treatment of the more common nervous disorders, such as neuralgia, convulsions, etc., for the successful management of which we already have an abundance of well-tried remedies. In excluding a number of the more recent, irregular and unproved remedies, the author is conscious of the fact that he has no doubt omitted some which have proved curative in particular cases. But it is a relief to him to know that deficiencies of this sort are quite unavoidable. As Grauvogl has well remarked : " It is impossible to prepare a complete special Therapia for any so-called disease." In other respects, also, the work doubtless has its imperfections, as, indeed, every such work must have, since there is yet a great deal to learn regarding the nature and treatment of nervous and mental diseases. The importance, however, of having what we do know concisely set forth will, the author trusts, be regarded as a sufficient excuse, if any were needed, for adding another supplementary volume to his series of works on diseases of the nervous system.

In conclusion he would remark, that his chief aim has been to furnish a handy, practical guide to the successful treatment of every form of nervous disease, by presenting in one small volume the diagnosis, pathology and therapeutics of one of the most interesting, important and progressive departments of medicine.

Charles Porter Hart.

Wyoming, 0., Sept., 1889.

PART I. Diseases op the Brain and its Membranes

Page

Cerebral anaemia 9

Cerebral embolism 30

Cerebral softening 34

Cerebral hypertrophy 39

Cerebral atrophy 40

Athetosis 44

Cerebral tumors . , 48

External cerebral pachymeningitis 58

Internal cerebral pachymeningitis 59

Cerebral arachnitis 60

Traumatic cerebral leptomeningitis 61

Simple acute cerebral meningitis 62

Tubercular cerebral meningitis » 67

Chronic cerebral meningitis 71

CONTENTS.

PART II. Diseases of the Spinal Marrow and its Membranes

Page

Spinal haemorrhage 84

Myelomalacia 90

Spinal paralysis . . 92

Acute ascending paralysis 94

Spinal paralysis of adults ■ 95

Pseudo-hypertrophic spinal paralysis 98

Glosso-labio-laryngeal paralysis 99

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 102

Multiple spinal sclerosis 103

Primary spinal sclerosis 104

Secondary spinal sclerosis 106

Posterior spinal sclerosis 107

Spinal tumors and other abnormal growths 112

PART III. Cerebro-spinal Diseases

Pagb

Cerebro-spinal hypersemia 116

Postnatal convulsions 133

Toxsemic convulsions 138

CChorea 152

Hystero- epilepsy • 159

CONTENTS. 7

Page

Catalepsy 161

Multiple cerebro-spinal sclerosis 162

Secondary cerebro-spinal sclerosis 162

General paralysis .... 163

Paralysis aaitans 164

PAKT IV.

Diseases of the Peripheral Nervous System.

Page

Xeuritis 166

Neuralgia (in general) 167

Trigeminal neuralgia 171

Pharyngeal paralysis 181

Paralytic aphonia 181

Glossoplegia 186

Facial spasm • 187

Torticollis 187

Writer's cramp 188

Spasm of the glottis 189

Facial atrophy 191

Peripheral anaesthesia 192

Mental Diseases.

Page

Hypochondriasis 240

Moral insanity 241

Dipsomania 249

Mania a potu 250

Dementia 252

THERAPEUTICS

OF

NERVOUS DISEASES