An introduction to pathology and morbid anatomy / by T. Henry Green.

  • Green, T. Henry (Thomas Henry), 1841-1923
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An introduction to pathology and morbid anatomy / by T. Henry Green. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    590/616 page 562
    The visceral crises have been associated with affection of Clarke's column, but it is hif^lily probable that they may be due to nutritional disturbances in the si/nijml/ic/ic ganglia, just as the other symptoms are supposed to be due to nutritional disturbances of the spinal ganglia of the posterior root. The loss of the knee-jerks is the earliest and most constant symptom ; since the root-zone (bandelette of Charcot) is the earliest and most constant lesion of ataxy, it is highly probable that the loss of the knee-jerk is connected with the atrophy of those fibres derived from the third and fourth posterior lumbar roots, which on entering the spinal cord take up this position for a s/iorf distance before entering the grey matter (Fig. 206). Changes have been found in certain cerebral convolutions. It is possible that iahcs dorsalis is a degenerative disease ot'the whole afferent tract. Ataxic Paraplegia is a disease in which there is a combination of svm])toms ot lateral sclerosis and ataxy. The knee-jerks are exaggerated. The combined sclerosis of the lateral and posterior columns explains this condition. Friedreich's Disease, or Hereditary Ataxy, is a lesion of the })osterior coluiniis, as in ataxy, but also an atrophy of the cells of Clarke's cohnnn, and conse(juently degeneration of the direct cere- bellar tract : moreover, in some cases the crossed pyramidal tracts are afl'ected. Beyond the hereditary history nothing is known of its ji'tiology. It may therefore be considered due to an inherited develop- inrntal defect, by which certain nervous structures undergo atrophy, and the neuroglia, hyperplasia. J DEGENERATIONS OF EFFERENT TRACTS.—The most important are- (1) j)rimary lateral sclerosis; {^2) amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; (.')) progressive muscular atrophy. In all these diseases systemic degeneration of tracts of nerve fibres, vascular changes, and overgrowth of connective-tissue occur. Which is the j)rimary process, the atrophy of the nervous elements or the \ ascular changes and sclerosis ? The protoplasmic processes of the ganglion cells project into a lymph space which is in connection with lymph capillaries or with the perivascular lymphatics of the small vessels. It is common to find in chronic degenerative processes of the central nervous system periarteritis and distension of the peri- vascular lymphatics with leucocytes. It might be reasonably argued, therefore, that the poisons, such as alcohol, lead, and of syphilis (the most potent factor in the production of nervous disease), pro-
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3