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
The =cerebellum= is not edematous and is as firm as the normal
olivary bodies. The cerebellar hemispheres are symmetrical and of a
normal appearance, save that the laminæ are slightly narrower than
usual and very compactly set. The color, where not obscured by the
haziness of the pia mater, is of a grayish pink somewhat suggestive
of freshly tanned shoe leather. The substance cuts smoothly and
firmly. The dentate nuclei are unusually firm. The =pons= is small,
but of the usual color. Lower structures normal except the =cord=
which is small and shows curious deviations from the normal
markings. The posterior horns and gray commissure are at many levels
the only structures to preserve the normal gray appearance, so that
the H or butterfly appearance is replaced by a crescent. At these
levels, traces of gray matter often stand out in the loci of the
anterior horns.
The important =anatomical diagnoses= in the nervous system are as
follows:
Atrophy of cerebrum, 965 grams (there is of course a question whether we
are not dealing with a degree of cerebral hypoplasia).
Focal scleroses of cerebrum, suggesting the tuberous scleroses of
Bourneville.
Occipital microgyria.
Cerebral and cerebellar gliosis.
Chronic ependymitis.
Gliosis of the gray matter of the spinal cord.
Chronic diffuse and focal leptomeningitis.
The =microscopic examination= confirmed the diagnosis of paresis. The
hypertrophic nodules were of special interest. They were found to be
overlain by a characteristic though thin exudate of lymphocytes and
plasma cells, together with pigmented cells. The nodules appeared to be
supplied with an unusual number of vessels of small calibre, about which
were a few lymphocytes. The large vessels and those with well developed
adventitiæ were surrounded by more numerous lymphocytes and by more
focal accumulations of pigmented cells. The cortex in the middle of a
nodule had almost lost its characteristic cortical layering. The cortex
was here reduced (specimen from temporal lobe) to about one-quarter of
its normal thickness, and was found to be composed largely of expanded
neuroglia cells and vascular tissue, with a few nerve elements, small,
shrunken, and dark-staining. The destructive process appeared to have
borne hardest on the layer of internal large pyramids and the fusiform
layer. There was, however, nowhere any evidence of focal necrosis such
as ought to characterize a true gumma. The sections stained by the
Marchi method failed to show evidence of fatty degeneration within the
focus, although there was a marked diffuse accumulation of fatty
granulations along the nerve fibres in the underlying white matter. A
special study of the cerebellar material was made by one of the
authors.[4] Occasional Purkinje cells showed the characteristic
binucleate condition, which has frequently been noted in recent
literature.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account