218 MICROBES AND HEALTH. 



A blood-clot may plug an artery supplying a group 

 of nerve-cells in the cord and cause sudden or acute 

 paralysis. 



No attempt has been made to give a detailed account 

 of the changes which take place. The object is to call 

 attention to the fact that indigestion from any cause 

 may result in any and all forms of paralysis. 



Sometimes inflammation of- the spinal cord may fol- 

 low chronic rheumatism and produce permanent muscu- 

 lar contraction, with great deformity of joints. 



These changes in the cord are responsible for all 

 forms of paralysis, and may be caused by the irritation 

 produced by alcohol, tobacco, over-eating, retained 

 waste, etc., as already mentioned. Drinking hard cider 

 will do the same thing. Hard cider contains not only 

 alcohol, but many acids which will produce inflamma- 

 tion and chronic catarrh of the stomach, and this means 

 indigestion and disease. 



Volumes are written upon paralysis and nervous dis- 

 eases, volumes that would puzzle the angels and drive 

 the devil crazy, yet the subject is not so difficult to 

 understand. Long-continued irritation in any part of 

 the body will sooner or later produce its evil effects by 

 interfering with the central nervous system, the brain 

 and spinal cord. Headache is characteristic of this 

 irritation ; so are neuralgia and rheumatism. These are 

 nature's language forcibly expressed, telling us of the 

 poison in the body and demanding its removal. 



If we continue, we expose ourselves to all kinds of 

 aches and pains, to morbid growths, to all forms of 

 nervousness, to paralysis, etc. 



