muscles that control speaking, swallowing and hearing resulting in
impairment of these functions. The muscles soften and waste away rapidly.
Disorders of nutrition are frequent, like watery swelling (oedema), glossy
looking skin, sweating, hives, etc.

[NERVOUS SYSTEM 279]

Recovery.--The course of the disease varies considerably. In mild cases
the symptoms disappear very soon. In the worst form the patient may die in
a week or ten days. As a rule, in moderately severe cases after persisting
for five or six weeks, the condition remains about the same for a few
months, and then improvement slowly begins and recovery takes place in six
to twelve months. In neuritis from alcohol drinking there is a rapid onset
as a rule, with delirium and delusions. The result is usually favorable
and after persisting for weeks or months improvement gradually begins, the
muscles regain their power, and even in the most desperate cases recovery
may follow. The mental symptoms are very severe in alcoholic cases.
Delirium is common. It takes much longer for such cases to regain what
they call their normal condition.

Neuritis following diphtheria and other infectious diseases. The outlook
in cases from these diseases is usually favorable, and except in
diphtheria, fatal cases are uncommon. It is most common from diphtheria.
Recovery, in neuritis from diphtheria, takes place in about three months,
but some cases are fatal.

Neuritis from lead.--The first symptoms are those of intestinal colic,
lead line on the gums, "dropped-wrist." The recovery is quite gradual and
the poison may be cast out in three to four months.

In Neuritis from Arsenic.--We have disturbance of the stomach and bowels
first, then the legs and arms are about equally affected, weakened; may
recover in two to six months.

Treatment for acute kind.--The first thing to do is to rest in bed and
control the pain and acute symptoms. Hot applications help to relieve the
suffering. Patient must be kept comfortably and constantly warm and quiet.
Hot applications of lead water and laudanum.

Medicines.--It may be necessary to use morphine to control the pain.
Remedies such as antipyrine or aspirin are often used. A physician must be
called. When the disease is caused by arsenic and lead and alcohol, of
course you must remove the cause before you can hope for any improvement.

Caution.--Any one can readily understand from reading this description
that the thing to do is to be