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
It is a question whether this case is one of the group described in 1871
by Charcot under the name of _pachymeningitis cervicalis hypertrophica_.
Charcot did not regard his new disease as syphilitic, and it is very
probable that syphilis is not responsible for all cases. Charcot,
however, noted that his new disease was not incurable: he noted that the
resulting paraplegia, although it might be very marked and accompanied
by flexion of the leg on the thigh and although the paraplegia might
have lasted a very long time, might end in recovery. Charcot thought
that surgical intervention was necessary. He described three periods in
the disease, the first or neuralgic (pseudo-neuralgic) was characterized
by sharp pains in the neck and by the sensation of constriction in the
upper part of the thorax. The second phase of the disease was, according
to Charcot, the paralytic phase, in which a cervical paraplegia
accompanied by muscular atrophy developed. Sometimes cases were found to
remain in this paralytic phase and even to end spontaneously in cure. If
the muscular atrophy was degenerative, then the atrophy was never
replaced; but, according to Charcot, some cases of atrophy were simple
and accordingly curable. If, however, the spinal cord itself became
involved in the meningeal inflammation, then phenomena of transverse
myelitis set in with a spastic paraplegia and involvement of the bladder
and rectum. Muscular atrophy never developed in the legs, at least in
typical cases.
Among the causes of this condition the following have been mentioned:
cold, overexertion, alcoholism, tuberculosis and syphilis. Syphilis
undoubtedly plays the major part. Even before the days of the W. R.,
observers, among whom may be mentioned Dejerine-Tinel and Pförringer,
discovered syphilis in nearly all sufferers from _pachymeningitis
cervicalis hypertrophica_.
It should be differentiated from caries of the spine and cord and
meningeal tumors. The spinal fluid examination makes this somewhat easy.
Antisyphilitic remedies are indicated, and should be tried even when the
etiology is obscure, if only as a therapeutic test.
But what have been thy answers? What but dark,
Ambiguous, and with double sense deluding,
Which they who asked have seldom understood,
And, not well understood, as well not known?
Paradise Regained, Book I, lines 434–437
II. THE SYSTEMATIC DIAGNOSIS OF THE MAIN FORMS OF NEUROSYPHILIS
=PARETIC NEUROSYPHILIS (“general paresis”) sometimes persistently
receives the diagnosis NEURASTHENIA simply through omission to apply
approved diagnostic methods.=
=Case 9.= Greeley Harrison, a man of 46, certainly looked like a
neurasthenic. He wanted aid for nervous indigestion of years’ standing,
headache, insomnia, nervousness, failing memory, and deafness. He
volunteered, in fact, that he had neurasthenia, and that he had been
treated for this by hypophosphites.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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