Certain symptoms of nervous exhaustion / by George M. Beard.

  • Beard, George M. (George Miller), 1839-1883.
Date:
1878
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Certain symptoms of nervous exhaustion / by George M. Beard. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    of the whole surface of the body, general liypericstliesia; and all these various symptoms and expressions, witliout douht, have a common pathology in nervous exhaustion. Vague Fains and Flying Neuralgias.—The so-called “ grow- ing pains” in the young are probably of this class; the force in the system is insufficient to maintain gro’wth without suf- fering a degree of impoverishment which expresses itself by a subdued growl of pain. Waving, beating, rolling sensations are often felt by the neurasthenic, even when not exactly hysterical. Shooting neuralgic pains in the limbs, or nearly all parts of the body, cause much suffering vdth this class of patients. Sometimes flying neuralgias are confounded with the neui-algia of incipi- ent locomotor ataxia, which the^^, in some respects, resemble, but are not as violent, and do not have so much of the borins: character. Flushing and Fidgetiness.—Patients of this class oftentimes easily flush and easily faint; the inhibitory action of the sym- pathetic is readily interfered with by any slight emotion. Fidgetiness and nervousness, inability to keep still—a sensa- tion that amounts to pain—is sometimes unspeakably dis- tressing. Although it cannot be deflned, it may be an accom- paniment of growing pains, and is one of the myriad results of spinal irritation. Sometimes in writing, the hand and aim become so nervous and fidgety, that to continue writing would be the severest torture. Adieu the legs feel this way, the sufferer must up and walk or run even, though he be de- bilitated and is made worse by severe exercise. A gentleman once under my care could not sit still in the chair long enough to take an application of electricity. Tremulous and Variable Pulse and Occasional Palpitations.— In the nervous, the rapidity and quality of the pulse-beats may vary in many ways during the process of counting. Frequently the pulse of the nervously e.xhausted is comiu’os- siblc, and almost always it is more rapid tlian normal, rang- ing between 75 and 90, frequently going up to 05 and 100 and more. In exceptional instances, nervous exhaustion has a very slow ]ndse, in the neighborhood of 40 or less. Sudden Giving Way of General or Special Functio?is.—The treacherousness of nervous exhaustion is one of its most eon-