Do you know someone with Essential Tremor?
Yes! Essential tremor is so
common yet non-transparent. Outside of individuals and families afflicted with essential tremor, the public at large is not familiar
with the movement disorder or, misjudges the symptom of tremor as being Parkinson’s.
You probably know a neighbor, a co-worker, a service club or faith member, who has essential tremor. If not, you know
of the following famous people and otter with essential tremor:
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John Adams John Quincy Adams Samuel Adams Magnus Berg Robert C. Byrd Oliver Cromwell John Diefenbaker “Goldie” |
Katharine Hepburn Joseph McCarthy Sandra Day O’Connor Eugene O’Neill Ozzy Ozbourne Tim Simpson Bill Werbeniuk |
Illnesses of the Brain in John Quincy Adams
Adams’ Family Tremor
Medical history draws upon handwriting analysis and historical accounts to reveal that John Quincy Adams and Samuel Adams were
afflicted with essential tremor.
In the article Samuel Adams’ Tremor, Dr. Elan Louis, TAN’s medical advisor/contributor, cites the American
Revolutionist as “having a tremor that affected his hands, head and voice.”
To learn more about “What is Medical History? visit the Winter 2005 issue of
House Call. Dr. George Paulson,
author of the publication Illnesses of the Brain in John Quincy Adams, is featured in the quarterly newsletter.
Information on John Adams and John Quincy Adams tremors can be found in John Adams by Paul C. Nagel, and
Arguing about Slavery, by William Lee Miller.
Neuroscience for Kids provides
trivia on “John Adams, 2nd President of the US, and John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the US. Both were born in Braintree,
Massachusetts.
Magnus Berg – the sculptor
Handwriting analysis and examinations of various sculptures account for the
recognition that the sculptor Magnus Berg had essential tremor.
Diefenbaker Disease
Dr. Ali Rajput’s extensive research of medical records and Diefenbaker Archives concludes that the 13th Prime Minister of Canada
suffered from essential tremor and not Parkinson’s Disease. Dr. Rajput renamed essential tremor Diefenbaker Disease, in honor of the
Prime Minister.
Late-Life Action Tremor in Goldie
Goldie the Southern Sea Otter was orphaned off the California coast at the age of 5 weeks. The Monterey Bay Aquarium rescued her,
and Goldie lived at the Aquarium until the age of 18. Five years prior, Goldie developed a head tremor, similar to essential
tremor patients. Dr. Michael Murray, Goldie’s veterinarian, recorded invaluable information on Goldie’s tremor, which peaked the
interest of TAN’s medical contributor, Elan Louis. TAN’s Director, Hokuto Morita, has detailed Dr. Louis’ collaborative study
of Goldie’s brain in his article, Animal Tremor: Of Mice and Men and Marine Life, featured in the first issue of The
TremorAction.org and Care4Dystonia.org newsletter, Spikes & Spasms.