On spasm, languor, palsy, and other disorders, termed nervous, of the muscular system / by James Arthur Wilson.

Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On spasm, languor, palsy, and other disorders, termed nervous, of the muscular system / by James Arthur Wilson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    by Muscular Action we shall never mean less than a result of the triple agency of Nerve and Fibre with the Blood. Unless specially mentioned, the single involuntary fleshy fibres will not be included in the remarks we have to offer on disorder of the muscular function. There can be no direct observation of these structures when disturbed in their action by disease; and their healthy function is not such as to warrant any exten- sive analogy of symptoms between them and the double voluntary muscles of the outer body. In this respect there has been much looseness of inference, even among practical physicians ; by assuming a same- ness of behaviour, while under the operations of disease, in the several varieties of the fleshy fibre. We shall find fitter opportunity to remark on the distinction that obtains between the two classes of muscular structure, in considering the range of their liability to the disturbing influence of spasm. It may here be incidentally observed, that organic alterations of structure occur much more frequently in the pale single muscles of unceasing action, than in those of the double and symmetrical class. The effect of acute constitutional disorder is gene- rally made evident in the muscles whose function is vital, by the increased frequency of their contractions. They are hurried, rather than convulsed or rendered otherwise irregular in their action, by the influences which prevent in the voluntary muscles all faculty of motion. Thus, in the advanced stage of fever, while the limbs are utterly helpless, and even the nimble
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