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 course of the disease—convulsions followed by improvement—is very
characteristic of a paretic onset. The =laboratory findings= were in all
respects confirmatory. It was rather striking that a permanent _motor
aphasia_ followed the convulsions in this case, since the seizures of
paresis do not in the vast majority of cases leave permanent paralyses.
The course of the disease continued to show convulsions, which would in
each instance leave him at a lower terrace of capacity than had been
before shown. The patient died four years after the onset of symptoms of
a general asthenia. With the exception of the permanent motor aphasia,
this case might be regarded as a fairly typical one of general paresis.
1. What is the general nature of speech disorder in paretic
neurosyphilis? Speech disorder is, along with the pupillary
changes, one of the most important clinical symptoms in paretic
neurosyphilis. There are aphasic and articulatory disturbances.
The aphasia that accompanies paretic seizures is of a transient
nature as a rule. A case with such long-standing motor aphasia as
shown by Levenson is not common. Paraphasia, with incorrect naming
of objects, may last longer. The so-called “sticking” phenomenon
is often observed.
Word-deafness is said to be rarer but is difficult to test on
account of the patient’s dementia. Agrammatism (incapacity to form
correct sentences) is sometimes observed. But the most
characteristic disorder is in the syllabic composition of words.
Syllables are left out (“medaltricity” for medical electricity),
or fused (“exity”), or doubled (“electricicity”). Besides the
central speech disorders of which the above are examples, there
are disorders in articulation, which at first occur as a
consequence of paretic seizures or in states of excitement, but
later become permanent. These are divided into paretic and ataxic
disturbances.
2. What is the structural basis of these forms of aphasia? It is
believed that they are due to microscopic changes, not to coarse
destructive lesions.
[Illustration:
BROOKLINE, MASS.
]
[Illustration:
BROOKLINE, MASS.
Mss. of Levenson, case 22. Paretic neurosyphilis. Tremor, misspelling.
Metathesis of letters (Bk, not Br) omission of letters (Book).
]
[Illustration]
[Illustration:
God save the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Mss. of Safsky, case 48, brain tumor. Tremor not marked. Misspelling,
omission of letters. Wrong letters (h in hweth).
]
[Illustration:
Mss. of Halleck, case 31, cervical tabes. No brain disorder.
Pen-holding and bearing on difficulties. Crowding of phrases result
of ataxia.
]
[Illustration:
Mss. of Collins, case 61, paretic neurosyphilis. One misspelling
(-chussetts); not psychopathic? Characteristic tremor.
]
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