Cases of disease of the nervous system in patients the subjects of inherited syphilis / by J. Hughlings-Jackson.

  • Jackson, John Hughlings, 1834-1911.
Date:
1868
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Cases of disease of the nervous system in patients the subjects of inherited syphilis / by J. Hughlings-Jackson. 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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    The chikPs state, however, threw light on her father’s case; It seemed to me almost certain that the lump of coarse disease inside his head—which the severe pain in the head, convul- sions, and optic neuritis, declared to exist—was syphilitic “ deposit,” which had its origin in pia-matritis, if I may coin a word analogous to iritis. The further histoiy of the father’s case confirmed this view. He next, October, 1867, had a recurrence of the severe head- ache, with partial deafness of the left ear and incomplete facial paralysis of the same side. Next, November, 1867, palsy of the left third nerve, and on February i8th, 1868, he was admitted under my care for hemiplegia of the right side and total loss of speech. I know of nothing but syphilis which produces such a disorderly succession of symptoms at distinct intervals over so long a period. [Since the above was in type the patient* has died (on March 27th, 1868). The autopsy showed syphilitic disease of his brain, and thus confirmed the diagnosis founded on the above-mentioned clinical evidence.] Excepting convulsions I have seen but one case of marked nervous symptoms in an infant who at the time showed signs of syphilis. In the exceptional case which I saw in Mr. Hut- chinson’s practice, there was spasm of the muscles supplied by the portio-dura nerve and paraplegia. I have, with the excep- tion of this case, not yet seen affection of any motor cranial nerve with signs warranting the diagnosis of congenital syphilis. This is the more remarkable as palsy of the cranial nerves not unfrequently occurs from acquired syphilis. I have seen, in children, palsy of the third nerve, without traceable * In reprinting this article from the “ Transactions,” I have to add that the child also died soon after of typhoid fever. Although I examined the brain care- fully I discovered no change whatever. There was no tubercle in the lungs. It may be supposed then, either that syphilis had nothing to do in causing the fits, or that syphilis may lead to minute changes in nerve tissue without the interme- diation of disease of connective tissue. This subject is too large to be handled here. Recently (Sept., 1868) Dr. Mackenzie Bacon, of Fulbourne, shewed me a case in which striking nervous symptoms, including hemiplegia, occurred in a child, aged four and a half years, the subject of congenital syphilis. Dr. Bacon will shortly place this important case on record.