IN.  I  I'll  NT  SYMPTOMS  OF  APOPLEXY  AND  PARALYSIS.  473

ciable  sign,  and,  in  fact,  the  commencement  of  a  morbid
affection  of  the  motor  power.  Three  weeks  afterwards
the  right  hand  became  so  weak  that  the  patient  could
not  hold  anything  steadily  in  it.  Subsequently  he  was
seized,  whilst  dressing  for  dinner,  with  an  attack  of  para-
lysis, and  continued  for  a  short  time  in  a  state  of  un-
consciousness, out  of  which  he  eventually  rallied,  but
with  his  mind  much  enfeebled.  A  paralysis  of  the
powers  of  deglutition  is  often  observed  as  an  incipient
symptom  of  disease  of  the  brain.
"  I  have  known  a  person  first  lose  the  strength  of
his  legs,  then  talk  childishly,  fiddle  with  his  knife  and
fork  during  dinner,  to  the  confusion  of  his  family,
attempt  in  vain  to  direct  the  morsel  to  his  mouth,  and
at  length  carried  to  bed  several  hours  before  he  became
apoplectic."*

Inability  to  hold  the  pen  when  writing,  to  draw  on
the  boots,  (in  consequence  of  morbid  loss  of  motor  power
in  the  muscles  of  the  arm) ;  to  handle  the  razor  steadily
when  shaving,  (in  consequence  of  defective  muscular
strength  in  the  fingers,)  to  play  the  piano  with  the  usual
vigour  and  facility,  have  been  observed  (in  several  cases)
to  be  the  first  warnings  of  approaching  paralysis.
Dr.  Ulric  of  Berlin  has  detailed  an  exceedingly  inte-
resting case  illustrative  of  this  incipient  stage  of  para-
lysis. It  is  also  valuable  as  pointing  out  the  gradual,
insidious,  stealthy,  and  progressive  march  of  cerebral
disease,  when  once  established  within  the  cranium.
