But because the reader may be curious to have some idea of the style and manner of expression peculiar to that people, as well as to know the article upon which I recovered my liberty, I have made a translation of the whole instrument, word for word, as near as I was able, which I here offer to the public.
Tay-Sachs disease is a rare inherited disorder that progressively destroys nerve cells (neurons) in the brain and spinal cord. The most common form of Tay-Sachs disease becomes apparent in infancy.
Metabolic refers to the body's chemical processes that produce protein and other substances, and break down nutrients to release energy. Tay-Sachs disease is a metabolic disorder because it is caused by the absence of the enzyme (a type of protein) hexosaminidase A (Hex-A). Hex-A is necessary for breaking down fatty substances called lipids. Without Hex-A, these lipids build up in, and eventually destroy, the nerve cells in the brain.