Nashville Journal of Medicine and Surgery, Vol. CX. March, 1916. No. 3 — John Shaqi
Nashville Journal of Medicine and Surgery, Vol. CX. March, 1916. No. 3Various
Science
Nashville Journal of Medicine and Surgery, Vol. CX. March, 1916. No. 3
Various
Medicine -- Periodicals
Berkeley likewise reports a case due to the organism first mentioned.
Auto-intoxication is also a frequent etiological factor, and it is
probable that the vast majority of mental disarrangements following
eclampsia are due to this condition. Ordinarily, insanity is regarded as
a rare complication of eclampsia, though Olshauser observed it in 6 per
cent of his 515 cases. According to Hansen and Picque infection and
auto-intoxication are responsible for more than 80 per cent of all
cases, while the remainder are to be attributed to other causes,
occurring particularly in women afflicted with hereditary tendencies,
“the exciting cause of the insanity being shock, extreme mental
depression or the rapid loss of a large quantity of blood.”
The general trend of investigation of etiology and pathology has been of
course to ascribe definite tangible factors as the cause of definite
organic changes, and we hear less and less of idiopathic diseases and
functional conditions, and while the view of Williams may seem to be
almost too definite, please contrast it with the causes ascribed by
Hirst, which he divides into “predisposing—the nervous excitement of
gestation in women predisposed by hereditary influence to mental
breakdown, great reduction in physical strength and prolonged mental
strain or worry * * *; the exciting causes may be exaggerated anæmia, as
from prolonged lactation, septicæmia; albuminuria; profound emotion or
exaggerated fear of impending danger; remorse and shame of illegitimate
pregnancy; the grief of a deserted woman; accident or hemorrhage; great
physical or mental exhaustion. In my experience insanity in the
childbearing woman has almost always resulted from some profound
emotion.”
Webster, of Chicago, says: “Frequently there is a predisposing
cause—e.g., bad heredity and prolonged mental or physical strain.
Anæmia, sepsis, albuminuria, marked emotional disturbance and the pain
and excitement of labor.”
Berry Hart only mentions the predisposing causes of a neurotic
constitution, too frequent pregnancies, too prolonged lactation, and in
some cases the shock of a seduction ending in conception.
Wright, of Toronto, as I have stated before, says: “Constipation is
frequently very marked,”—whether he means as a cause or a symptom is
problematic.
De Lee, of Chicago, says: “Puerperal infection, mastitis, eclampsia and
allied toxemias, post-partum and other hemorrhages, especially if
grafted on a bad heredity, exhausting labor and the drain of lactation
are the most common causes. The attack may be developed by a violent
psychic shock, such as the death of husband or child.”
Tweedy & Wrench, of Dublin, give us nine subsidiary causes—drink,
toxemia, post eclampsia, acute pain (the perineal stage), sepsis, severe
hemorrhage, prolonged lactation, no marriage and heredity, laying
emphasis on sepsis and hemorrhage in the puerperium.
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