Syphilis of the nervous system : a clinical study chiefly in regard to diagnosis and treatment : founded on the cases of Prof. Wm. H. Van Buren, M.D., and those of the author / by E.L. Keyes.

  • Keyes, E. L. (Edward Lawrence), 1843-1924.
Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Syphilis of the nervous system : a clinical study chiefly in regard to diagnosis and treatment : founded on the cases of Prof. Wm. H. Van Buren, M.D., and those of the author / by E.L. Keyes. 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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    symptoms, without positive disease of the eye, is presumptive evidence of syphilis. 6. That paralyses of single muscles, or sets of muscles, are frequently syphilitic. 7. That syphilitic paraplegia generally comes on gradually, often without any local symptom to call the patient’s attention to the injured portion of the cord, and that it is rarely com- plete. That the bladder almost always suffers more or less, and calls for special local treatment. That paraplegia may be developed as a symptom of inherited syphilis. 8. That syphilitic epilepsy usually occurs after thirty, in patients who have not had epilepsy in early life. That head- ache is liable to precede the attacks. That the convulsions occur often, many in quick succession, the intermission be- tween the series of attacks being comparatively long, but that, during this period, headache or other nervous symptoms exist and become aggravated, contrary to what obtains in idiopathic epilepsy. That syphilitic epilepsy is liable to be associated with, or followed by, some form of paralysis. 9. That aphasia is often associated with the intellectual disturbances caused by syphilis. 10. That loss of memory is a common nervous symptom of syphilis, as are also all forms of mental disturbance—from mild hallucinations and illusions up to actual insanity, and all these without any necessary accompanying paralysis. 11. That inordinate emotional expressions are often asso- ciated with the mental weakness caused by syphilis. 12. That care must be taken to distinguish certain symp- toms caused by gout, from the same symptoms owing their origin to syphilis. 13. That the prognosis is better as a rule for nervous symp- toms caused by syphilis than for the same symptoms depend- ing on a lesion equal in extent, caused by another malady of the nervous centres ; but that, after the arrest of the disease, an . indelible impression is often left upon the nerve-tissue, ■which manifests itself by impaired function, and which treat- ment cannot overcome. 14. That the iodide of potassium pushed rapidly to tolera- tion, unless the symptoms subside before that point is reached,