Zoonomia; Or, the Laws of Organic Life, Vol. I

by Erasmus Darwin

There is, however, another species of fixed spasm, which differs from the former, as the pain exists in the contracted muscle, and would seem rather to be the consequence than the cause of the contraction, as in the cramp in the calf of the leg, and in many other parts of the body.

In these spasms it should seem, that the muscle itself is first thrown into contraction by some disagreeable sensation, as of cold; and that then the violent pain is produced by the great contraction of the muscular fibres extending its own tendons, which are said to be sensible to extension only; and is further explained in Sect. [XVIII. 15].

[6]. Many instances have been given in this work, where after violent motions excited by irritation, the organ has become quiescent to less, and even to the great irritation, which induced it into violent motion; as after looking long at the sun or any bright colour, they cease to be seen; and after removing from bright day-light into a gloomy room, the eye cannot at first perceive the objects, which stimulate it less. Similar to this is the syncope, which succeeds after the violent exertions of our voluntary motions, as after epileptic fits, for the power of volition acts in this case as the stimulus in the other. This syncope is a temporary palsy, or apoplexy, which ceases after a time, the muscles recovering their power of being excited into action by the efforts of volition; as the eye in the circumstance above mentioned recovers in a little time its power of seeing objects in a gloomy room; which were invisible immediately after coming out of a stronger light. This is owing to an accumulation of sensorial power during the inaction of those fibres, which were before accustomed to perpetual exertions, as explained in Sect. [XII. 7. 1]. A slighter degree of this disease is experienced by every one after great fatigue, when the muscles gain such inability to further action, that we are obliged to rest them for a while, or to summon a greater power of volition to continue their motions.

In all the syncopes, which I have seen induced after convulsive fits, the pulse has continued natural, though the organs of sense, as well as the locomotive muscles, have ceased to perform their functions; for it is necessary for the perception of objects, that the external organs of sense should be properly excited by the voluntary power, as the eye-lids must be open, and perhaps the muscles of the eye put into action to distend, and thence give greater pellucidity to the cornea, which in syncope, as in death, appears flat and less transparent.

The tympanum of the ear also seems to require a voluntary exertion of its muscles, to gain its due tension, and it is probable the other external organs of sense require a similar voluntary exertion to adapt them to the distinct perception of objects. Hence in syncope as in sleep, as the power of volition is suspended, no external objects are perceived. See Sect. [XVIII. 5]. During the time which the patient lies in a fainting fit, the spirit of animation becomes accumulated; and hence the muscles in a while become irritable by their usual stimulation, and the fainting fit ceases. See Sect. [XII. 7. 1].

[7]. If the exertion of the voluntary motions has been still more energetic, the quiescence, which succeeds, is so complete, that they cannot again be excited into action by the efforts of the will. In this manner the palsy, and apoplexy (which is an universal palsy) are frequently produced after convulsions, or other violent exertions; of this I shall add a few instances.

Platernus mentions some, who have died apoplectic from violent exertions in dancing; and Dr. Mead, in his Essay on Poisons, records a patient in the hydrophobia, who at one effort broke the cords which bound him, and at the same instant expired. And it is probable, that those, who have expired from immoderate laughter, have died from this paralysis consequent to violent exertion. Mrs. Scott of Stafford was walking in her garden in perfect health with her neighbour Mrs. ——; the latter accidentally fell into a muddy rivulet, and tried in vain to disengage herself by the assistance of Mrs. Scott's hand. Mrs. Scott exerted her utmost power for many minutes, first to assist her friend, and next to prevent herself from being pulled into the morass, as her distressed companion would not disengage her hand. After other assistance was procured by their united screams, Mrs. Scott walked to a chair about twenty yards from the brook, and was seized with an apoplectic stroke: which continued many days, and terminated in a total loss of her right arm, and her speech; neither of which she ever after perfectly recovered.

It is said, that many people in Holland have died after skating too long or too violently on their frozen canals; it is probable the death of these, and of others, who have died suddenly in swimming, has been owing to this great quiescence or paralysis; which has succeeded very violent exertions, added to the concomitant cold, which has had greater effect after the sufferers had been heated and exhausted by previous exercise.

I remember a young man of the name of Nairne at Cambridge, who walking on the edge of a barge fell into the river. His cousin and fellow-student of the same name, knowing the other could not swim, plunged into the water after him, caught him by his clothes, and approaching the bank by a vehement exertion propelled him safe to the land, but that instant, seized, as was supposed, by the cramp, or paralysis, sunk to rise no more. The reason why the cramp of the muscles, which compose the calf of the leg, is so liable to affect swimmers, is, because these muscles have very weak antagonists, and are in walking generally elongated again after their contraction by the weight of the body on the ball of the toe, which is very much greater than the resistance of the water in swimming. See Section [XVIII. 15].

It does not follow that every apoplectic or paralytic attack is immediately preceded by vehement exertion; the quiescence, which succeeds exertion, and which is not so great as to be termed paralysis, frequently recurs afterwards at certain periods; and by other causes of quiescence, occurring with those periods, as was explained in treating of the paroxysms of intermitting fevers; the quiescence at length, becomes so great as to be incapable of again being removed by the efforts of volition, and complete paralysis is formed. See Section [XXXII. 3. 2].