Concussion

[Fr., from Lat. concu io, from con cutio, concu us-con, and quatio, to shake.] Act of shaking violently by the stroke or impulse of another body; state of being shaken; a shock; agitation. (Med.) A violent commotion or shock communicated to the brain, or the whole nervous system, by collision of the body with some external object. It is one of the most serious accidents to which the head is subject. The causes of C. are very numerous; a slight accident, such as the slipping off a step, may produce it as effectually as the violent collision of two railway trains. It may also be induced by a blow, a fall, or anything that violently shakes the body. The symptoms differ with the violence of the cause, and are in proportion to it. Usually all sense and power of motion are instantly suspended, the pulse is reduced to a thread, the breathing is imperceptible, the pupils dilated, and the body cold. All cases of complete C. are divided into three stages:In the 1st, there is total insensibility, the patient cannot feel the pinching of his skin, or hear the loudest noises, though made at his ear the pulse intermits, and the extremities become cold. In the 2d stage, the pulse is a little more regular, the breathing more evident, a slight degree of warmth is diffused over the body, the skin becomes slightly sensible to pain, and the patient can hear, but is inattentive to sounds unle bawled into the ear, when he will reply for an instant if the question concerns his sufferings if not, he answers incoherently. The 3d stage is indicated by the pa ing off of much of the stupor and insensibility, and the setting in of the inflammatory stage, always the most critical of the three. Vomiting generally succeeds a C. of the brain, and the contents both of the bowels and bladder are at different periods pa ed unconsciously. In some cases, the patient, after a few hours' insensibility, recovers entire consciousne , the body being restored to complete health without one adverse circumstance; in others, the coma and insensibility endure for a dozen or fourteen days, and the patient is ever after affected with a partial or complete lo of memory, or an irritability of stomach that defies all ordinary treatment. As any interference with the patient while in the first, or insensible stage, would be highly dangerous, he must be left till reaction sets in, and nature begins to rea ert her empire, by the freer breathing, increased warmth, and returning consciousne . To expedite this certain effort of nature, it was formerly the custom to give stimulants, or, rather, force them down the pa ive throat; but as this was generally found to increase the danger of the third stage, it has very properly been discontinued, and bottles of water, or hot bricks, applied to the feet and body of the patient, is now all, except in rare cases, that is done till the inflammatory period sets in, when bleeding both from the system and the head, cold applications to the scalp, hot bricks to the feet, a low and unexciting diet, with a dark room, absolute repose, and solitude, become the sole means and remedies by which we have any chance of restoring the patient to his former health. - Though bleeding is the chief agent on which the medical man depends for the recovery of his patient, the greatest judgment is nece ary in knowing when, and how much blood to take away; for, should he bleed before reaction has set in, and some amount of consciousne is restored, he is morally certain to extinguish the life of his patient. (Civil Law.) The unlawful forcing of another by threats, or by the abuse of office or rank, to yield up something of value. Concus's ive, a. Having the power or quality of shaking; agitating.