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
“We have shown that the central nervous system is affected by
syphilis at the same periods and in the same manner as are other
internal organs. In addition the ‘parasyphilitic’ lesions are also
of a typically syphilitic nature, being directly comparable to the
parenchymatous affections found elsewhere in the body. They are
‘tertiary’ lesions differing only from the so-called ‘gummatous’
processes in the central nervous system in that their localization
is in the parenchyma while that of the latter is in the
interstitial tissues.”
McIntosh and Fildes, 1914
CHART 22
=Physical examination= showed a man 5′ 9″ tall, weighing 149 pounds,
rather pale and poorly nourished, with a somewhat enlarged heart and no
evidence of venereal disease.
=Neurologically= there was a slight facial and digital tremor, but
otherwise no symptom or reflex disorder except that the tendon reflexes
were generally increased; the knee-jerks especially were very vigorous.
There was no speech defect. His handwriting was fairly legible.
The patient was very noisy and uncontrollable, tearing clothing and
biting, striking the attendants, refusing food, talking rapidly, loudly,
and incoherently. His manner suggested auditory hallucinations but no
positive evidence of these was obtained. His clothes could not be kept
on him. The following is a sample of his reactions: As the examiner
entered, the patient stood stark naked and glaring. He started to talk
as follows: “Methuen,—I, Saviour, come to life and ought to die—— Now I
lay me—— Now I die—— The heart beats—— No, I ain’t going to die—— I am
going out soon. I want my clothes—— You can’t hold me; I am strong.”
(Struggles violently with the attendants.) “I am God. God. I know you,
you can’t fool me.——I am here——I can do you all. How many doctors are
there here?” (Struggles violently. Looks at examiner.) “He is writing
something. Sir, you can’t fool me in a million years. Do you understand
that, doctor? You can’t fool me. Write all the prescriptions you want
to. Ten thousand years; you hear that, doctor? Ten thousand years. You
can’t fool me; ten thousand years. Ten thousand years are but a day for
the spirit of the Lord,” etc., etc.
The excitement continued unabated. The patient became entirely
disoriented, and finally almost unable to move. He lay in bed trying to
talk and muttering broken gibberish, still attempting to struggle to the
extent of his limited strength.
The =autopsy= showed no sign of lesion (brain weight 1380 grams),
unless, perhaps, the occipital regions were slightly firmer than the
rest of the brain. Death was apparently due to a bilateral pneumonia,
bronchial type. There was an acute splenitis. The only chronic lesions
of the body were a bilateral chronic adhesive pleuritis and a slight
sclerosis of the arch of the aorta.
[Illustration:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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