On chorea, or St.Vitus's dance in children / by Octavius Sturges.

  • Sturges, Octavius.
Date:
1893
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On chorea, or St.Vitus's dance in children / by Octavius Sturges. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

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    INTEODUCTION. THE PLACE IN NATURE OF FUNCTIONAL NERVOUS DISEASE, There exists in some quarters a disposition to discredit the reference of disease, and especially of nervous disease, ta functional causes. Yet if the word disease, itself not easily defined, be left out, functional disorder of some degree, I suppose, everyone must admit, inasmuch as the elements of such disorder are to be met with universally. Granting that there is a wide difference between ordinary emotional spasm and hysteric convulsion ; or between the temporary fidgetiness of a shy child and the enduring agitation of chorea, yet still there is a region intervening which is occupied by muscular disorder of an equivocal kind. The question is, what degree of such disorder is to justify the anatomist in making search for its material equivalent ? No one will answer any degree of it whatever, since that would be to include the whole of mankind, and would involve the absurdity of making disease a universal possession. We are entitled to ask, therefore, how far and in what manner that orderly action of the voluntary muscles which hypothetically represents health may be departed from before disease becomes ' tangible,' if indeed we may not ask yet further upon what authority any particular method of muscular conduct is insisted on rather than another as being its proper pattern, all declensions from which are to be regarded as morbid.