Definition

A progressive disease of the brain and meninges, associated with mental and motor disturbances.

Etiology

All nerve disturbances of a degenerative form are looked upon by a stereotyped medical mind as originating from syphilis. It is the consensus of opinion of the medical profession that syphilis is the cause of all degenerative cerebro-spinal affections in seventy to ninety per cent. I may be lacking in gray matter, but I do not believe that this is true; for the disease can be found in country districts, affecting people who have lived far from the centers, and who have never had syphilis or anything of a venereal character. The answer to that statement by those who advocate the syphilis idea, is that it has been inherited. It is necessary to make this assumption; for the theory would break down without it, and, according to the experiences I have had, it is not necessary to bolster an assumption with a fallacy to know the cause of the majority of diseases ending in cerebro-spinal degeneration. As stated under locomotor ataxia, excessive venery, plus toxin poisoning developed by putrefaction from imprudent eating--from a haphazard style of living--is quite enough to account for seventy to eighty per cent of the cases attributed to syphilitic infection. Heredity is said to be a very important factor; obviously, however, only to the extent that we inherit a tendency to take on certain lines of disease.

In general paralysis, next to syphilitic heredity as a cause, it is said that an important predisposing cause is a life spent in ambitious projects that require strong mental effort to realize. Business propositions which require great nerve strain are in this class. This I accept, with the addition of a haphazard daily life for there is nothing that will harden and age the nervous system like a continuous strain or worry. But overstimulation is necessary to worry successfully. Such people take their business to bed with them, adding worry at night, and coffee, tobacco, and often alcoholics during the day, to hard work and this conglomeration of causes leads to enervation. No nervous system can long stand up under a continuous strain--under continuous hard work and bad habits--if there is worry added to it.

Symptoms

Irritability; inattention to business, amounting to apathy. Previous to the development of the degeneration, subjects may work night and day, when all at once they decide to have a little vacation and pleasure. They will take interest in affairs of life which before had never even drawn their attention, and friends who are close to them will be surprised to see them leave their desks, and the work that they had pursued so intensely, and go off for an hour, seemingly without anything to do, with the mind on subjects entirely out of keeping with their business. When anyone acts in this way, it is quite safe to assume a failing mind, and if dementia follows, friends should not be surprised. It is simply a giving-down of an overworked brain and nervous system. It is obvious that such people are profoundly egotistical and self-centered before, and even after, the mental degeneration.

The Argyll-Robertson pupil is present, and often optic atrophy, which is liable to lead to total blindness. The facial symptoms--the peculiar stolidity of the features, tremulousness of the muscles of the face, and inability to protrude the tongue--are characteristic. It is said that those who lead a very active life and do a great deal of hard work are more liable to have tabes than paralysis. The truth of the matter is that hard work is blamed for what sensuality does. It has been my experience that office men--those leading sedentary lives, writers, etc.--are more inclined to develop tabes. Both diseases are remediable, if taken before organic degeneration has advanced too far. Some cases of tabes show topical paralysis early.

Treatment

Correcting the life is the only thing to do that will bring relief, and it is the only thing that is necessary. Stimulants must be tabooed, and eating should be light. Stimulating food, such as meat and bread three times a day, must be given up. Take bread about once a day, meat not at all in the summer time, and two or three times a week in the winter time; fruit for breakfast; a combination salad, meat, cheese, or nuts, with cooked vegetables, for dinner. Abstain from all stimulants.