Kevin Kelly's Cool Tools has been publishing short "Tips" newsletters and they're wonderful. Tips 18 has a simple camera steadier, a way to hide computer cables, how to repair clothes with clear silicone rubber caulk, and this method for diagnosing a stroke:
A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim quickly he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed and getting to the patient within 3 hours, which is tough. Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. But doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
- Ask the individual to SMILE.
- Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
- Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently, ie: It is sunny out today)
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
— Passed along by Michael Hawley
Reader comment:
Scott says
As a Neurologist, I think there is a lot of validity to these points. However, these symptoms are not all-inclusive, and are part of a widely distributed email (see http://www.snopes.com/medical/disease/stroke.asp) which is often accompanied with a significant amount of misinformation. For further information on stroke, I suggest the American Stroke Association website at http://www.strokeassociation.org. Stroke currently is the leading cause of disability in the US, and the third most common cause for death.
