Observations on general paralysis of the insane and on the morbid changes found on post-mortem examination of the spinal cord / by Robt. Boyd.

  • Boyd, Robert, 1808-1883.
Date:
1871
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on general paralysis of the insane and on the morbid changes found on post-mortem examination of the spinal cord / by Robt. Boyd. 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.

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    in good bodily health, anxious to go home. Discharged on probation. December, discharged from the hooks recovered. Two years afterwards, in December, 1866, re-admitted ; second attack, duration 9 months; transferred from another asylum ; health indifferent, in a state of melancholia. January 11, in No. 1, idle, takes his food well. Jan. 27, sent to the infirmary, has retention of urine; catheterism, blister ordered to nape. Feb. 10, able to come downstairs; pallid, ordered citrate of iron and ammonia. July 15, has been out playing cricket; medicine suspended. Dec. 24, convulsed, ice applied to the head, which was hot; extremities cold, hot bottles to feet, blister to nape, catheterism required, croton oil given. Dec. 30, able to sit up in No. 4 corridor, he has generally a book before him, unable to take exercise, appetite good. Hair rapidly getting grey. 1868, Feb. 1, had another fit, was comatose for 48 hours, blister to nape, croton oil given. Feb. 9, is able to sit up in the corridor. Feb. 16, very stubborn, unwilling to be dressed or undressed, has not spoken since his attack in December, stares at anyone who speaks to him, pupils dilated, appetite good ; dirty, will not go to the closet, staggers in walking, becoming feeble and emaciated. Feb. 18, has a vacant look, more helpless, temperature low, bulb of thermometer in axilla 96 deg.; in mouth between cheek and teeth,lips closed, 97 deg ; felt point of a pencil drawn along the soles of his feet. March 6, unable to sit up. March 17, very much convulsed on one side, mouth drawn and head turned towards the right side. Swallows a little fluid with difficulty. 19th, Quite helpless ; seems to know persons, but never attempts to speak. Died on March 21. Autopsy, March 23. Weight of body 100 lbs.; length, 5 feet 5 inches. Head, circumference, 22 inches, antero-posterior measurement, 114 inches ; transverse, 11 inches. Opacity of the arachnoid membrane, the lateral ventricles distended with fluid, the brain unusually pale, each cerebral hemisphere weighed 16 ounces, the cerebellum 5,'and the medulla oblongata 1 ounce, the encephalon 38 ounces, but when removed from the skull before being cut and the fluid escaped, the encephalon weighed 394 ounces. There was blood in the spinal canal, the spinal cord appeared enlarged and softened, weight 14 ounces. Chest: pleuritic adhesions on both sides, pneumonia in first stage in both lungs, the right weighed 31, the left 23 ounces; heart small, 6|- ounces. Abdomen : the intestines natural, stomach 5, liver 46, spleen 3|, right kidney 94, left 5, renal capsules f, pancreas 3 ounces. Cause of death, arachnitis, myelitis, double pneumonia. Case II.—II. C., a tailor, aged 34, single ; first attack, duration 11 months, was admitted in July, 1866, suffering from mania and general paralysis. Previous History.—Father dead, mother alive, disposition stubborn, temper irritable. Education : can read only ; religion : Church of England. Present State.—(Physically) general health bad, pulse 54, tongue white, skin cool, appetite good, motion imperfect. (Morally)
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