The diseases of the spinal cord / by Byrom Bramwell.

  • Bramwell Byrom, Sir, 1847-1931.
Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The diseases of the spinal cord / by Byrom Bramwell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    I ROGNOSis.— The prognosis is very unfavourable \] most all oases terminate sooner or later, in death. The earlier the development, the more rapid the course, ami hence the worse the prognosis. As I have previously mentioned males arc usually attacked more severely than females. Treatment.—The treatment, which has been hitherto em- ployed has been of little avail. The general health must be carefully attended to; the patient should have plenty of tresh air and good nourishing diet; general tonics may be given. The nutritive condition of the affected muscles must be maintained in the highest possible state of efficient systematic muscular exercise, and the application of the faradic current to the muscles, are the means to be employed Duchenne states,, that he cured two cases by the interrupted cm-rent, but other observers have not been equally fortunate Dr Gowers points out, that when, from any cause the patient ceases to walk, the weakness in the muscles rapidly increases; contractures and deformities must there- fore, be prevented by passive exercise, and, if necessary by section of the tendons; mechanical appliances and supports which sometimes enable the patient to move about longer than he would otherwise do, and should therefore be employed The patient must be carefully guarded against cold and ex- posure, for, as in aU chronic spinal diseases, the end is often due to some intercurrent pulmonary affection. Arsenic seems to have been of use in some cases (Dr Meryon) and phosphorus is, according to Dr Gowers, sometimes beneficial ■ but drug treatment is, as a rule, of little avail.