rs in
from three to twelve months, and is due to starvation. Forbes reports
11 fatal cases, and two that passed from observation. At the autopsy
are found hyperemia of the arachnoid, and slight chronic
leptomeningitis and pachymeningitis. There is also anemia of the
brain-substance. In one of his cases the spleen was enlarged. He was
inclined to regard the disease as a neurosis.

Aphasia is a disease of the faculty of language, that is, a disturbance
of the processes by which we see, hear, and at the same time appreciate
the meaning of symbols. It includes also the faculty of expressing our
ideas to others by means of the voice, gesture, writing, etc. The
trouble may be central or in the conducting media. The varieties of
aphasia are:--

(1) Amnesia of speech.

(2) Amnesia of speech and written language.

(3) Amnesia of speech, written language, and gesture.

In most cases there is no paralysis of the tongue or speech-forming
organs. As a rule the intellect is unaffected, the patient has the
ideas, but lacks the power to give them proper expression through
words, written language, or gesture. If the patient is enable to write,
the condition is known as agraphia. Word-blindness, word-deafness,
etc., are terms of different forms of aphasia.

What was probably a case of incomplete aphasia is mentioned by Pliny,
that of Messala Corvinus who was unable to tell his own name; and many
instances of persons forgetting their names are really nothing but
cases of temporary or incomplete aphasia. In some cases of incomplete
and in nearly all cases of complete aphasia, involuntary sentences are
ejaculated. According to Seguin a reverend old gentleman affected with
amnesia of words was forced to utter after the sentence, "Our Father
who art in heaven," the words "let Him stay there." A lady seen by
Trousseau would rise on the coming of a visitor to receive him with a
pleased and amiable expression of countenance, and show him to a chair,
at the same time addressing to him the words, "cochon, animal, fichue
bete," French words hardly allowable in drawing-room usage. She was
totally aphasic but not paralyzed. Women often use semi-religious
expressions like "Oh dear," or "Oh Lord." Men of the lower classes
retain their favorite oaths remarkably. Sometimes the phrases
ejaculated are meaningless, as in Broca's celebrated case.

Aphasia may be the result of sudden strong emotions, in such cases
being usually temporary; it may b