Vol. 60, 1909 - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

UK) THE CHARLOTTE MEDICAL JOURNAL. \
not SO great, but that the additional pressure high readings do not necessarily mean either i
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of comparatively few millimetres of mer- arterial or kidney disease; we must recog-
cury is sufBcieiit to obliterate the pulse nize this hypertonic contraction of the ves-
wave, and simple arteriosclerosis need not sels as a factor in high sphygmomanometer
materially shorten life and the fear of cere- readings and depend greatly upon the micro- i
bra! hemorrhage lalerin life may be ground- scopical findings of the urinary analysis for I
less, but in arteriosclerosis with a coexistent our diagnosis of kidney affections,
hypertonus, the real cause of our high readings,
we have a condition of grave import- the causation of sex.
ance in the life expectancy of the applicant. Humanity has, since the beginning of I
The diagnostic value of the sphygmoma- time, found an apparently insolvable prob-
nometer then is not so great in uncompli- lem in the causation of sex, and the num- i
cated arteriosclerosis, and we must depend ber of theories that have been advanced to i
upon our tactile sense in outlining the account for it have reached infinity. None, |
thickened artery, which may be quite diffi- however, have yet been able successfully to i
cult as the elasticity of the artery is not account for all phases of the problem,
greatly destroyed and in the absence of Recently Dr. E. R. Dawson, of Great I
hypertonus do not become rigid. Britian, has advanced a theory which he •
The high readings that are obtained in a supports with profuse clinical evidence and I
hypertonic contracted vessel that may or facts, and which, to say the least, is fasci- '
may not be sclerosed is due to the thicken- nating because of its very simplicity. The j
ing of the vessel -ivall and the narroiL'ing of Indian Medical Gazette succinctly outlines i
its lumen. This hypertonia is brought about his theory in the June issue. The funda-
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in two ways, through the influence of the mental idea is that the male parent has !
nervous system and by substances circulat- nothing to do with the production of the i
ing in the blood. The effect of the emotions sex of the foetus. This is determined by the I
upon the circulatory system through the ovary producing the particular ovum which I
vasomotor centre in the medulla is well is fertilized, the male element only being ]
known, and the effect of active business necessary to start the process of developlife
in modern times with the necessity of ment. According to Dr. Dawson a male
close application and the constant irritation foetus is due to the fertilization of an ovum i
through the nervous system is a great and that came from the right ovary, and a '
important factor producing this hypertonus female foetus is due to the fertilization of I
and increasing the danger of cerebral hem- an ovum from the left ovary. Certainly i
orrhage even in the comparatively young, not a flattering idea to the vanity of the
It is well known that the substances in- male. It seems fruitless to inquire why the i
the blood stream act directly upon the coats right ovary should have been chosen for the
of the vessel without the medium of the production of boys and left for girls, the !
nervous system causing contraction of the only explanation given being that perhaps i
muscular coat. The source of these sub- the weaker sex should be derived from the i
stances that even in small quantities cause weaker or left side of the body. It is fairly !
arterial contraction and raising of the blood well admitted that only one ovum is pro- i
pressure is through the alimentary tract, duced at a time, and a good deal of evi- \
particularly intestinal. As a result of these dence is brought forward by Dr. Dawson to .:
disorders of alimentation, toxic substances show that the ova are supplied alternately, i
are developed and absorbed into the blood first by one ovary and then by the other, i
which act directly on the vessel wall, cans- The strongest evidence on this point has I
ing this dangerous hypertonicity which been obtained from post-mortem records i.
should be an element of concern to the ex- where death has taken place after a few or I
amiuer. definite number of menstrual periods had !
This hypertonicity that exists either in occurred; it has been found in such cases i
the sclerosed vessel or the sclerosed athe- that the cicatricial pits or scars, the remains i|
romatous vessel or in the healthy vessel and of the corpora Intea, are equal in the two ;
gives us the high readings, can be relieved ovaries together to the number of periods 1
by proper hygiene, diet, etc., and we may passed. This holds good also for animals !
remove this so called high blood pressure in which single pregnancy is customary, as 'i
and find an applicant to be a risk of the has been shown by Heape in monkeys. The ,i
first class rather than one to be refused on contention that the male parent does not "
account of dangerous disease. The very influence the sex of the coming child is H
high readings that are obtained in cases of evidenced by such cases as those in which 'I
interstitial nephritis are caused by the path- a woman has one-sexed children by differ-
ological changes in the arteries that are in- ent men; or those in which the father provariably
met with in that disease, and can- duced both-sexed children with difl'erent ji
notbematerially affected by treatment; but wives, but only one sex with each wife— \\
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