We cannot say that cure is certain, but we may count on longer or
shorter intervals of arrest, either spontaneous or as a sequel to
the employment of serviceable measures such as hydrotherapy or
rational gymnastics.
It should be said that the cases which Charcot, Tourette, and Guinon had
more especially in mind were of a graver nature, such as the disease of
generalised convulsive tics with echolalia and coprolalia, and
peculiarly resistant to treatment. Patients suffering from these forms
of tic present in the most advanced degree psychical instability and
volitional fickleness, and betray an irresistible tendency to impulsion
and obsession, calculated to render the institution of any methodical
treatment futile. In their case patience and perseverance may be
rewarded, but they never consent to undergo for a sufficiently long
period the discipline indispensable for their cure.
Fortunately, these severer varieties are exceptional. The vast majority
of cases are certainly more amenable to modern therapeutic measures, and
the results obtained so far place the disease in a much more favourable
light. Letulle had already remarked, in 1883, that the most tenacious of
co-ordinated tics might be amended, mitigated, and even wholly
inhibited.
MEDICINAL TREATMENT
All the ordinary medicinal agents in vogue in nervous and mental
diseases have at one time or other been applied to the cure of tics; all
have proved equally inefficacious.
Sedatives and hypnotics, such as the bromides, chloral, or the
preparations of opium, sometimes effect a transient improvement, but
they cannot permanently modify the psychasthenia which is the key to the
situation. According to Grasset and Rauzier, the injection of morphia,
atropine, curare, and the inhalation of chloroform or ether have been of
some avail, as has the employment of zinc valerianate, and of gelsemium
in large doses. Quinine, cannabis indica, and arsenic have also been
tried.
Unexpected success has followed the administration of the bromides in
some instances, and for the treatment of various neuroses, convulsive
tics in particular, Flechsig's opium and bromide cure for epilepsy has
been adopted by Dornbluth, with encouraging results. It is true some of
the symptoms of epilepsy may be manifested in the guise of tics, while,
on the other hand, the association of tic and epilepsy is not unknown;
but however that may be, there is sufficient and reliable evidence to
justify at least the empirical use of bromide as a last resource.
Every conceivable sedative and derivative have had their advocates,
while local and counter-irritant medication has not been without
support. Grasset and Rauzier obtained transitory improvement by means of
strong mustard plasters; Busch applied the actual cautery to the
vertebral column.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account