Acute cerebral meningitis, or hydrocephalus / by C. Evans Reeves.

  • Reeves, C. E. (Charles Evans), 1828-1880.
Date:
1858
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Acute cerebral meningitis, or hydrocephalus / by C. Evans Reeves. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    44/66 (page 42)
    uttered. Body and limbs seemed to be in a state of general relaxation. Wine had been given, under the idea that the infant was suffering from false meningitis. Croton-oil liniment to head, and tincture of cantharides internally. The latter caused a large quantity of urine to be passed. Coma less marked; at times it looked round, and recognized objects. By eightli day better; features were, however, very pinched, eyes and mouth surrounded by dark rings. Pulse and respiration very feeble. Slight convulsion in night, in which it died. The sinuses contained fibrinous clots. Minute tubercles existed on the surface of the middle lobes, in the fissures of sylvius, and on the walls of the lateral ventricles and choroid plexus; the lateral ventricles contained 2 drachms of serum. The pia mater at the base of the brain was injected, and a thin layer of false membrane existed. The right lobe of the cerebellum, immediately below the surface, contained a tubercle of the size of a pea. The brain and spinal cord were generally pale and oedematous. c. General Inflammation of the Pia Mater.—The disease seems to be more liable to occur generally than partially, for it was observed in 8 out of the 28 cases. In 2 of the number, pus existed at the base of the brain; in 5, false membranes; and in 1, lac- tescent serum, with opacity of the arachnoid. In 6 of the 8 cases, the lateral ventricles were distended with serum ; in the remaining 2 they were empty, but the fourth ventricle was distended. In 3 of the former cases, the septum lucidum and fornix were softened ; in one of them, the great commissure was also softened ; and in a second, both corpora striata; and in a third, one. In 4 of the 8 cases, the disease set in during remittent fever; in a fifth, during the premonitory stage of scarlet fever; in a sixth, during fever; in a seventh, during convalescence from fever; and in an eighth, after a fall on the head. In one of the cases (No. 15), in which the disease occuiTcd during remittent fever, the chief symptoms were, headache, vomiting, fever, quick pulse, and respiration ; stupor, cries and agitation. Kemission of symptoms, followed by geiieral convulsions; difficult deglutition and respira- tion ; rigidity of arm, strabismus ; convulsions of muscles of face, eyes, larynx, and arms; and later, of all tlie muscles. In two of the other cases (Nos. 16 and 17), the symptoms bore a close resemblance to the first; but there was—and also in the fourth case (No. 18)—a marked aggravation of the symptoms in the evening. In the last case (]>«o. 18) no convulsions occurred. In the fifth case (No. 19), in which the disease set in during the premonitory stage of scarlet fever, the chief symptoms were, headache, aggravated at times; vomiting, delirium, slight stujior, and passing strabismus; later, convulsions, followed by feebleness, first of right side, then of left leg; convulsions of muscles of eyes and face; irregular jmlse and respiration; and before death, general convulsions. In the sixth case (No. 20), in which the