Читать книгу Neurosyphilis. Modern Systematic Diagnosis and Treatment Presented in One Hundred and Thirty-Seven Case Histories онлайн

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PARETIC NEUROSYPHILIS (“general paresis”) is often marked by SEIZURES.

Case 20.

Physically

It developed that there was an impairment in hearing. The pupils reacted well both to light and to distance. The patient was very restless and smiled in a silly fashion. His memory was decidedly defective in all spheres, and he was very slow in the intake of ideas.

The plumber’s wife said that, at about the age of 23 or 24, he had a spell of confusion lasting two or three days, with peculiar conduct, unintelligible talk, and a good deal of weeping. The medical diagnosis at that time took into account the fact that Crane was a plumber and was “lead encephalopathy.”

However, according to his wife, Crane had acquired chancre at about 26 years, was treated mercurially for about three years and declared well. He had remained well up to about 18 months before entrance, when, without previous warning, the patient had a convulsion with the continuous movements for about half an hour. He was semi-conscious for about 18 hours and vomited continuously. There was amnesia for the whole affair on regaining consciousness. In a week’s time, Crane was entirely well. But six weeks later there was another convulsion. Upon removal to a hospital, the diagnosis of general paresis was made, and the patient was given the Swift-Ellis intraspinous treatment. This seemed to be very successful, and the patient discontinued treatment after 14 weeks (during which time there had been seven treatments) on the ground that he was entirely well.