What Causes Typists' Cramp.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 3 July 1914, Page 2

What Causes Typists' Cramp.

(By Wm. LEE HOWARD, M.D.)

What is known as writers' cramp, telegraphers' ■ paralysis, and similar conditions where the worker becomes useless because of physical incapacity of his hands or arms, is now found to be an affection of certain brain cells. The recent marvellous discoveries in the physiology of the brain and nervous systsm which modern psychology has stimulated show us that all attempts to regain the loss .of power in the hand or arm by electricity, massage, or drugs are wrong.

Any individual who is daily occupied in work which calls for a constant automatic use of any particular member of the body, such as the typist, the telegraph operator, or the linotype man, is liable to what it is customary to call, "cramp, or paralysis," of the particular member. The truth is that the muscles or tissues of the affected parts are not in the least affected—nothing is the matter with them.

But why do they become so

difficult to use and finally useless ? Because the battery which sends the impulse from the brain is exhausted. The battery is a certain group of brain cells. Every limb and organ in the body has certain brain batteries which send them the power to work or function. When you walk you do so by the nervous impulse sent to the muscles from the centre of the brain. When you reach out your arms to catch > and grasp some object to keep from falling, it is the impulse from the brain which, so rapidly moves the muscles. ■'"'•'The instinct to do this lies deeper, way down to past existences. The muscles ace developed and enlarged by movements which carry food and juices by means of the 1)1 ood stream to every tiny muscle cell, but no matter how large or powerful these muscles are, they become useless if the brain batteries are weak or exhausted. Everyone knows that a battery kept in constant use will become exhausted. We have to restore it at certain intervals if we want to get power. This is equally so with the batteries of the brain. Now, constant demands upon the battery which sends power to a certain set of muscles exhausts it. First there is a feeling of extra effort to move the hand or arm, and 'finally almost complete loss of power. Then comes the fear that" paralysis has setl in, and the fear increases the trouble. Some individuals have batteries which need frequent restoring—rest from their particular work —others fight against the frequent warnings and so make matters worse, and sometimes irreparable. The remedy is simple—shorter periods of work or longer intervals of rest. While taking this period of rest one should be employed in matters which have nothing to do with their work. Do not worry about the condition of the hand or arm, but give the brain batteries a chance to be- i come restored and all will be well i with you. !

A man once received as a present from a sea captain a fine specimen of a bird which sailors call the "laughing jackass." As he was carrying it home he met a brawny Irish navvy, who stopped and said to him :— " Phwat kind of burrd is that, sorr ?" "That's a laughing jackass," explained the owner, genially. The Irishman, thinking he was being made fun or, was equal to the occasion, and responded with a twinkle of the eye :— "It's not yerself ; it's the burrd I mane, sorr '"