The movement cure; with cases.

  • Taylor, Charles Fayette, 1827-1899.
Date:
1858
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The movement cure; with cases. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    16/20
    on the road to perfect health. Even if the rationale of treat- ment in this case consisted in getting control of the morale, as from the rapid improvement, some might suppose, still it would demand no less consideration on that account. But in this case, there was an actual inability. She was very desir- ous to walk, and often tried, assisted by her physician. After thorough trial, he expressed to me the opinion that she had not the power to do so. The reason was, that each effort to use her lower extremities in walking, was so much beyond her actual capacity, requiring so great an expenditure of volition- ary power, as to be perfectly overwhelming, even before the first step was taken. But though she had not sufficient nerv- ous stimuli to distribute to the whole lower extremities at the same time, with any considerable effect, yet she had power to move a small portion at a time. The treatment consisted in assisting her to get perfect control of one small portion of con- tractile tissue at a time, and while all other parts were at per- fect rest. Thus at first she could move her toes only a very little ; while she made the effort to bend them more, she would be assisted to do so ; then, as her power over their movements increased, the action would be increased, by offering gentle resistance to her movements, etc. Thus, of the ankle, the knee, and all other separate parts, and finally, of a whole ex- tremity. At the same time, the movements were such as to accelerate the circulation in the venous capillaries, and an influx of arterial blood, under the influence of which only, can inner- vation, or muscular contraction, take place. Since the above was written, the young lady has entirely re- gained her health, and has married. Case XY.—Dyspepsia and Nervous Prostration. Mr. J. C. I. was for many years the managing partner of a large commercial business, involving millions of capital, with results so often witnessed in this country. All at once, his health broke down ; he was obliged to give up. business ; became depressed in spirits; was troubled with indigestion and great weakness in the stomach and bowels. He had tried va- rious kinds of treatment, and had spent the last year or two at Water-Cure establishments, but without benefit. His treat-