Reports and papers on epidemic poliomyelitis.

Date:
1912
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Reports and papers on epidemic poliomyelitis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    August 23rd.—Paralysed from waist downwards, practically unconscious; has extreme retraction of the head and neck ; so much so that the back of the head almost touches the spine. Passed urine involuntarily. Is unable to swallow fluid. T. 98, P. 76. August 24th.—Died. Patient was given urotropin grs. 5. every four hours from August 20th. A post-mortem examination was ordered by the coroner in this case. Plate I, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, show micro-photographs of a section of the spinal cord of this case, prepared in Dr. Mervyn Grordon’s laboratory, and prove conclusively that the cause of death was acute poliomyelitis. Case 31. Clinical Note by Dr. W. G. Gray. Married Woman, aged 36, 4 para. Was confined of a child at 8 p.m. July 22ad, after a normal labour. Was attended by the Parish Nurse (Nurse M.). July 24th.—Milk began to come in breasts. Had slight headache. Temperature and pulse normal. Lochia normal. July 25th.—Normal day. July 26th and July 21th.—Complained of headache, otherwise condition normal. July 28th.—Headache worse, vomited. At 4.15 p.m. had a convulsion followed by others at 6 p.m., 6.30 p.m., 9.15 p.m., 10.50 p.m. Seen by her doctor the same evening at 8 p.m. T. 99°. Pulse 78. She was very drowsy and stuporous, but could be roused and put out her tongue when told to do so, did not answer when spoken to. Urine ^rd albumen. tTidy 29th.—Convulsions 12.35 a.m., 6 a.m. None afterwards. Vomited. Condition much the same ; pointed to her head when asked if she was in pain. Was able to speak a few words, but with much difficulty. Still very drowsy. Lochia normal. T. 97*8°. P. 62. Urine drawn off by catheter. Bowels acted twice. Very restless. Said her left arm was numb. July 30th.—No change in her condition, could talk better, but still with difficulty. Towards evening the Nurse noticed that the patient’s left arm was useless. July 51st.—Saw patient towards evening. Still in a drowsy condition, complains of great pain in forehead and back of neck but speaks only with much effort and requires some rousing. T. 97*2. P. 52. Kernig’s sign absent. Patellar reflexes, only feeble response. Plantar reflexes exaggerated. T&che cerebrale. No rash. Lochia normal. Com- plete paralysis (motor) of left arm. August 1st.—No change in her condition. August 2nd.—Headache rather better. No sleep except of a restless character. Is very slow to understand when spoken to and still speaks with difficulty and then only using the shortest words. T. 98°, P. 62. No improvement in the left arm. August 4th.—Much less headache, had two hours sound sleep last night. Head still retracted, she still “ burrows ” her head into the pillow. August 6th.—Patient continues to improve though paralysis remains as before. Has begun to take interest in her surroundings. Patellar reflexes still very feeble. Headache is much better. August 9th.—Decidedly better in every way. No headache but still complains of being sore and stiff about the neck. Can now flex her fore- arm a little and is able to hold a cup in her fingers. From this date she made uninterrupted progress and was able to be moved out of bed on August 12tb. Paralysed arm gradually improving. Present condition. October 3rd.—Is able to perform most of her house- hold duties. Left arm is still weak and there is some wasting of the muscles of shoulder (Deltoid), upper arm and forearm. Complains that