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
3. Is it safe to give large doses of salvarsan to a patient in a
stupor? It is not a good plan to give a large dose to such a
patient on account of the danger of sudden death. This is probably
due as much to the strain put on the heart as it is to any effect
on the nervous system, or specific arsenic effect. In this
particular instance, a dose of 0.15 gm. was the initial injection
and this was increased five centigrams per injection.
=IMPROVEMENT IN PARETIC NEUROSYPHILIS (“general paresis”) may become
evident only after several months of intensive treatment.=
=Case 115.= Henry Ryan was a shipping clerk, 54 years of age, who was
brought to the hospital following a convulsion. For a few months
preceding this period, Mr. Ryan had been failing in his abilities. He
had been very forgetful, showed no energy, and had become very
irritable. He also complained of insomnia and of feeling nervous.
On admission to the hospital, the most striking feature in the mental
situation was that he claimed that he had not slept a wink for three
months, and each day he would solemnly affirm that he had not slept at
all the preceding night, although the records might show that he had
slept eight hours. Argument was of no avail against this conviction. In
addition, his memory was very poor; he showed little knowledge of
current events, and had no ability with arithmetical problems.
=Neurologically= viewed, the points of chief significance were
contracted immobile pupils and a speech defect, especially noticeable on
the repetition of test phrases. The whole picture was suggestive of
general paresis, and this diagnosis was confirmed by the laboratory
findings. It was found that the W. R. was positive in the blood and
spinal fluid, that there was a pleocytosis, positive globulin reaction,
excess of albumin, and a “paretic” gold sol reaction. Consequently, the
diagnosis of GENERAL PARESIS seemed justified, although the patient
denied any knowledge of a syphilitic infection.
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