nt. 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.

Hitherto the patient will have experienced but little inconvenience;
and befriended by the strong influence of habitual endurance, would
perhaps seldom think of his being the subject of disease, except when
reminded of it by the unsteadiness of his hand, whilst writing or
employing himself in any nicer kind of manipulation. But as the
disease proceeds, similar employments are accomplished with
considerable difficulty, the hand failing to answer with exactness to
the dictates of the will. Walking becomes a task which cannot be
performed without considerable attention. The legs are not raised to
that height, or with that promptitude which the will directs, so that
the utmost care is necessary to prevent frequent falls.

At this period the patient experiences much inconvenience, which
unhappily is found daily to increase. The submission of the limbs to
the directions of the will can hardly ever be obtained in the
performance of the most ordinary offices of life. The fingers cannot
be disposed of in the proposed directions, and applied with certainty
to any proposed point. As time and the disease proceed, difficulties
increase: writing can now be hardly at all accomplished; and reading,
from the tremulous motion, is accomplished with some difficulty.
Whilst at meals the fork not being duly directed frequently fails to
raise the morsel from the plate: which, when seized, is with much
difficulty conveyed to the mouth. At this period the patient se