Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 8.djvu/75

Rh desire for more capacity for air, but unattended by spasm or acute pain. A severe attack was induced readily by any cause of disturbance, such as broken rest or mental excitement; on the other hand, rest and freedom from care seemed to him curative, for a time.

In this gentleman another symptom was presented for one or two years, which is somewhat novel, and exceedingly striking. The symptom was this: When the intermittent action of the heart was at its worst, there came on in the fingers of one or other hand a sensation of coldness and-numbness, followed instantly by quick blanching of the skin, precisely the same appearance, in fact, as is produced when the surface of the body is frozen. The numbness and temporary death of the parts would often remain for a full hour, during which time the superficial sensibility was altogether lost. When recovery commenced in the fingers it was very rapid, and after recovery no bad results were ever noticeable. I have since seen one similar illustration in another individual, occurring under nearly similar circumstances.

From the irregularity of the circulation of the blood induced by prolonged grief, varied central phenomena in the nervous matter follow, and in persons who have passed middle life these phenomena are usually permanent if not progressive. They consist of organic feebleness extending to all the active organs of the body, and affecting specially the mental organism, A constant desire for rest, for avoidance of cares, for seclusion, mark this stage of disease, if so it may be called. It is not necessarily a stage leading to rapid failure of further physical or mental power, for the mind and body are subdued so equally that there is no galling irritability, no wearing depression from the influence of other passions. The worst that happens ultimately in those instances is the gradual but premature encroachment of dementia previous to death, if the life be prolonged to its natural term.

Under some circumstances the passions, excited in turn, injure by the combined influence of their action. In games of chance where money is at stake we see the play of the worst passions in all its mischievous intensity. Fear and anger, hate and grief, hope and exultation, stand forth, one after the other, keeping the trepitanttrepidant [sic] heart in constant excitement and under tremulous strain, until at length its natural steadiness of motion is transformed into unnatural irregularity which, if it do not remain permanent, is called up by the slightest irritation. The act of playing at whist for high stakes is a frequent source of disease from this cause. I know that professed or habitual card-players declare that, however much may be played for, the losses and winnings of games are equalized by turn, and that after a year's play the player has, practically, neither won nor lost. I may accept that what is declared on this point is true; but the fact, if it be one, does not alter the physical evil that results, one iota. The man who, after being engaged in business all day, sits down regularly at night to play his rubbers on rubbers, to stake heavily on his games, to bet