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
=Physically=, there were few symptoms. =Neurologically=, there was a
tremor of tongue, fingers, and face. The knee-jerks were lively. The
pupils reacted normally; the patient was restless, pacing up and down.
There was a speech defect demonstrable with test phrases. Orientation
was imperfect for time and for place. Handwriting was poor, memory
impairment was marked, but the patient was given to fabrication as to
past events. A characteristic sample of statements:
“Do you know that this is an insane hospital?” “Yes; there are two or
three men here out of their heads. I could cure them with my hands but
they won’t let me. I could get all the sick men on their feet just by
rubbing them. I can do anything with my hands. I can build a house by
just sitting down and thinking about it. I can whip all the men in this
place. I have better sense now than I ever had in my life.”
Again, “How long have you been here?” “Over three months; they have put
me in heaven three times since I have been here. They killed me, crushed
my heart, and turned my blood to water. I am all right now. I let the
sun shine on my heart and it brought it together. I can whip every man
in here as fast as they come up.”
Again, “I will make a million dollars on my garden when I get it. I can
make a million dollars on half an acre. I can do anything. I can move
this house by just thinking of it.”
During a special examination, the patient told how he had fastened wings
on his hands and feet, and how he had gone to heaven; he told how he had
soared high above the earth, and how differently the stars look when up
near heaven than they do from the earth. He spoke of seeing angels and
of the beauties of heaven.
The diagnosis of PARETIC NEUROSYPHILIS was confirmed at autopsy.
1. What is the significance of the normally reacting pupils? While
it is usual to find pupillary anomalies in neurosyphilis, these
changes are not an essential part and it is not rare to find
normal pupils in all forms of neurosyphilis. It is less frequent
to find a normal pupil in tabetic than in diffuse or paretic
neurosyphilis. In paretic neurosyphilis it is the rule to find
pupillary changes during some stage of the disease, but not
necessarily early. At times the pupillary sign may be one of the
earliest signs of neurosyphilis—again it may occur only as a late
symptom, if at all. One of the most important of the pupillary
signs is irregularity of contour. While this does not always mean
neurosyphilis it is highly suggestive and certainly indicates
careful examination even though the W. R. in the blood be
negative.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account