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=, Johnson was rather thin; the teeth were somewhat
peg-shaped although far from typically Hutchinsonian. The pupils were
unequal and irregular, and failed to react to light or even to
accommodation when tested. The deep reflexes of arms and legs could not
be obtained, though the superficial reflexes were present. For the rest
systematic examination proved negative. Serum W. R. negative.
The first thought in such a case would be that the criminological
diagnosis of delinquency would be sufficient. However, the pupillary
disorder and the areflexia are suggestive despite the negative serum W.
R. Resort was naturally had to lumbar puncture, whereupon a positive W.
R. was found, a characteristically “paretic” gold sol reaction,
globulin, excess albumin, and 134 cells per cmm. In short, it would
appear that we must consider a diagnosis of JUVENILE PARESIS, and, in
point of fact, the patient deteriorated rapidly from this time, becoming
demented at the end of a few months.
1. How far are the early difficulties of management (leading to a
reformatory) due to syphilis? We should not dogmatically say that
there is a relation between the early delinquency and syphilis.
Still, it is not unusual to find emotional disorder and
instability as well as delinquency in congenital syphilitics.
2. What suggestion, if any, should be made to the patient’s
intelligent and seemingly normal sister, two years older? We
prevailed upon Miss Johnson to submit to the W. R. of the serum,
which was found, as in the case of Frank, to be negative. Frank’s
sister should undoubtedly submit to a lumbar puncture; but in the
present phase of mental hygiene, she would be difficult to
persuade.
3. How is it possible to find such a marked evidence of congenital
syphilis in a younger sibling with no evidence of syphilis in the
elder? In the first place, there may be a history of entrance of
syphilis into the lives of the parents between the pregnancies.
However, in other instances, there is no evidence of such
intercurrent syphilis, and contrary to the prevailing opinion it
is not so infrequent to find congenital syphilis in the younger
brother or sister of a normal person.
4. What can be said of treatment in such cases? In the first place
it is clear that delinquent cases should be tested far earlier for
the possibility of syphilis. Had this case been examined by a
neurologist or alienist many years earlier, it is probable that
the same pupillary signs and the peg-shaped teeth would have been
found, and that the hypothesis of syphilis might have been raised.
There is no good evidence as yet that these cases can be markedly
benefited by treatment.
=Neurosyphilis in a “defective delinquent.”=
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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