The shaking of the limbs belonging to this disease was particularly
noticed, as will be seen when treating of the symptoms, by Galen, who
marked its peculiar character by an appropriate term. The same
symptom, it will also be seen, was accurately treated of by Sylvius de
la Boë. Juncker also seems to have referred to this symptom: having
divided tremor into active and passive, he says of the latter, “ad
affectus semiparalyticos pertinent; de qualibus hic agimus, quique
_tremores paralytoidei_ vocantur.” Tremor has been adopted, as a
genus, by almost every nosologist; but always unmarked, in their
several definitions, by such characters as would embrace this disease.
The celebrated Cullen, with his accustomed accuracy observes,
“Tremorem, utpote semper symptomaticum, in numerum generum recipere
nollem; species autem a Sauvagesio recensitas, prout mihi vel astheniæ
vel paralysios, vel convulsionis symptomata esse videntur, his
subjungam[1].” Tremor can indeed only be considered as a symptom,
although several species of it must be admitted. In the present
instance, the agitation produced by the peculiar species of tremor,
which here occurs, is chosen to furnish the epithet by which this
species of Palsy, may be distinguished.
[Footnote 1: Synopsis Nosologiæ Methodicæ.—Tom. ii. p. 195.]
HISTORY.
So slight and nearly imperceptible are the first inroads of this
malady, and so extremely slow is its progress, that it rarely happens,
that the patient can form any recollection of the precise period of
its commencement. The first symptoms perceived are, a slight sense of
weakness, with a proneness to trembling in some particular part;
sometimes in the head, but most commonly in one of the hands and arms.
These symptoms gradually increase in the part first affected; and at
an uncertain period, but seldom in less than twelvemonths or more, the
morbid influence is felt in some other part. Thus assuming one of the
hands and arms to be first attacked, the other, at this period
becomes similarly affected. After a few more months the patient is
found to be less strict than usual in preserving an upright posture:
this being most observable whilst walking, but sometimes whilst
sitting or standing. Sometime after the appearance of this symptom,
and during its slow increase, one of the legs is discovered slightly
to tremble, and is also found to suffer fatigue sooner than the leg of
the other side: and in a few months this limb becomes agitated by
similar tremblings, and suffers a similar loss of power.
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