On some forms of paralysis from peripheral neuritis of gouty, alcoholic, diphtheritic, and other origin.

  • Buzzard, Thomas, 1821-1919.
Date:
1886
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On some forms of paralysis from peripheral neuritis of gouty, alcoholic, diphtheritic, and other origin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    memory, and more tlian once I observed lier conversation incoherent. Under phosphorus, strychnine, iron, gal- vanism, friction, this condition of incipient paralysis slowly departed, and, with the exception of reduced strength and impaired memory, she was nearly well till the end of February, 18—. At that time the menses had again ceased, irritability of stomach, flying pains and numbness of limbs, with utter inability to walk had again returned. Though she could move her limbs when lying in bed, and though sensation was but little at fault, she could neither stand on her legs nor walk a step. She complained bitterly of pain and tingling and numbness in both arms and hands, and the co-ordinate power of the small muscles of thumb and fingers was greatly impaired, the left more than the right. She was treated with counter-irritation over the spine, iodide of iron, later by galvanism and phosphide of zinc with strychnia. She was allowed a very nutritious diet of milk, beef tea, bread, eggs, but no alcoholic stimulant. After three or four weeks she had im.proved, and a little later the menses reappeared. The opinion expressed by the medical attendant was that her disease was due to anxiety from severe bereavement, coupled with residence in a malarious tropical country. This patient arrived in England, and came to me two and a half months from the beginning of the relapse de- scribed. Her complexion was sallow and conjunctivae yellow. She had recovered ]5ower to a great extent. On starting for England she had been unable to dress herself. Now she could do anything with her hands, but delicate movements, as in buttoning things, were not well per- formed. She could walk a moderate distance. The knee reflex was absent on each side. Electrical examination showed a great reduction in excitability of the muscles in front of each leg. This lowering of excitability