Death from pneumococcus and streptococcus septicemia. Chronic diffuse
nephritis. The brain was described grossly as normal: but microscopically
there was marked superficial gliosis in all areas examined and considerable
cell loss in suprastellate layers of precentral cortex. The calcarine
sections show little or no cell-loss. But one section from the frontal
region is available (right superior frontal). This shows little cell-loss
except in the layer of medium-sized pyramids.
CASE 22. (D. S. H. 8250, Path. 909) an unmarried woman without occupation,
two attacks of "melancholia" at 36, and 40. Always of a retiring and shy
disposition. Mental disease began after father's death. Delusions (if
such): has been selfish and wicked. Constant self condemnation. Suicidal.
Exophthalmic goiter.
Autopsy: Thyroid glandular hyperplasia. Mitral sclerosis. Aortic sclerosis
with ulceration. Chronic endocarditis. Chronic diffuse nephritis. Scars of
both apices of lungs, with small abscess of left apex. Emaciation. Brain
weight 1050 grams. No gross lesions described; microscopically profound
alterations; extreme or maximal cell-losses in small and medium-sized
pyramids in both superior frontal regions. Smaller somewhat less marked
cell-losses elsewhere.
Upon reviewing the unpleasant-delusion group, then, we exclude one (XII)
altogether. It is questionable whether XV actually exhibited delusions at
all. We then discover that eight (in all probability all) of our nine
remaining cases are renal in the sense of grossly evident lesions at
autopsy.
But it will be remembered that we transferred three cases originally thought
to entertain "not-unpleasant" delusions to the unpleasant group, because
their constraint, although conceived to be of divine origin, seemed to be
unpleasant (VI, IX, X). Of these VI and X were renal cases; but IX is
expressly stated by a reliable observer (the late Dr. W. L. Worcester) to
have had normal kidneys as well as heart. In point of fact, however, Case IV
had hallucinations and religious delusions ("spirit is here") probably
derived therefrom, and Dr. Worcester found an isolated brain lesion
correlatable with the hallucinosis; and in any event the emotional state of
the patient is in grave doubt.
Accordingly if we take the unpleasant-delusion group to be constituted of
Cases VI and X (transfers from the first group), XIII, XIV, and XIV to XXII,
that is eleven cases, we come upon the striking fact that virtually all of
them are renal cases.
Of course, as (with Canavan) I have been at some expense of time to prove,
virtually ALL cases of psychosis (as autopsied) are in a microscopic sense
abnormal as to kidneys.[7] But only about a third exhibit GROSS interstitial
nephritis, arguing a certain severity of process. The above cases, it will
be observed, fall into the GROSS class in respect to renal lesions.
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