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
After a few weeks, Mrs. Green grew quiet and more rational except for a
few spells of violence and noise; she gave the impression of a rather
pleasant and agreeable, though somewhat demented, patient. Physically,
beyond a tremor of fingers and tongue and lively knee-jerks and some
evidence of enlargement of the heart, there was nothing to be found.
Margaret Green is still in the Danvers Hospital, being now 48 years of
age. During the twenty years, she has presented,—besides the mental
picture of impairment of memory—occasional spells of confusion, a
variety of delusions based, at least in part, upon auditory and vivid
visual hallucinations, a certain irritability and psychomotor
excitement, and a picture of Huntington’s chorea. The diagnosis of
Huntington’s chorea has always been in doubt by reason of the lack of
any evidences of hereditary taint; it has, however, not been possible to
secure a properly intensive account of her relatives.
It appears that the choreic movements were first observed—in the
hospital at least—about 16 years ago. The patient has always been
decidedly mixed upon dates. From internal evidence derived from her
obviously in part erroneous statements, it may be that the chorea began
at the age of 23. It appears that she had been often termed a victim of
St. Vitus’ dance, and had had to leave her work in the mill on account
of the disease. From one source of information, it would appear that the
patient began to have what was called St. Vitus’ dance when she was 14
or 15 years of age; so far as this informant knew, no other member of
the family had had the affliction.
The first movements observed in the hospital were irregular, jerking
movements, more marked in the left arm but also occurring in the other
extremities, as well as in the face, wherein were produced peculiar
grimaces. The twitching movements would become decidedly worse during
spells of irritability. Observation in the patient’s early thirties left
the question in doubt whether the left pupil reacted to light or not. In
1904, when the patient was 36, both pupils failed to react to light
either directly or consensually. At this time, the jerky movements
continued, especially in the left hand and forearm, the tongue was
tremulous, test phrases were poorly pronounced, the knee-jerks were
exaggerated (especially the left), and both wrist-jerks were
exaggerated. The systematic examination, however, revealed no other
neurological disorder. Within a year, slight spurious ankle clonus
developed on both sides; the eyes, especially the left, gave the
appearance of developing cataracts. A slight consensual light reaction
was demonstrable on the right side, but all light reactions were absent
in the left eye.
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