Neurosyphilis : $b Modern systematic diagnosis and treatment presented in one hundred and thirty-seven case historiesSouthard, Elmer Ernest
Science
Neurosyphilis : $b Modern systematic diagnosis and treatment presented in one hundred and thirty-seven case histories
Southard, Elmer Ernest
Neurosyphilis
=Case 44.= John Hughes was a hostler, and later assistant with a
wholesale drug company, with which he remained for 32 years. He had been
moderately but constantly alcoholic all his adult life up to 50 years of
age, and at 45 had had an attack of so-called nervous prostration, in
which his head had troubled him and he had been seclusive. At 49, he had
a serious attack of otitis media, associated with delirium, swelling of
the feet, and what was called rheumatism. After this attack of otitis
media, Hughes appears to have been not altogether right.
At 53, after a quarrel with his employer, Hughes quit work, began to
trade a little in hens and pigs, became forgetful, especially of recent
events, and did “a variety of peculiar things.” He was a married man but
he had no children. There had been miscarriages but of unknown origin;
venereal disease was denied. At 55, a week before admission, Hughes had
a spell of unconsciousness for several hours, after which his speech was
thick, and restlessness, insomnia, and a wandering tendency set in.
Visual hallucinations, fabulation, tremors, “excited-looking” eyes, are
described. He would sweep things from the dining-room table, pulled a
hot stove into the middle of the floor, attempted to sweep paint off the
floor, and cut up a carpet with a knife.
The patient on commitment November 5, 1904, was well developed and
nourished. The mucous membranes were rather pale. Bruises and
excoriations of limbs. Harsh breathing at the base of each lung.
Enlargement of heart; sounds irregular. Accentuation of aortic second
sound; tension fair, rate 80. Slight brachial arteriosclerosis. Abdomen
slightly distended. The urine contained a faint trace of albumin and
many hyaline casts.
Moderate tremor of extended hands. Slight tongue tremor. Romberg’s sign
absent (slight swaying). Considerable ataxia of extremities (inability
to stand with foot on opposite knee). Vision poor. Hearing could not be
tested accurately. Prompt pupil reactions with direct light. Slight
consensual reaction in left pupil, absent in right. Deep reflexes equal
and lively.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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