Cases of tetany, hysterical contraction, and reflex contraction, illustrating varieties of chronic functional spasm / by Henry Hun.

  • Hun, Henry, 1854-1924.
Date:
[1888]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Cases of tetany, hysterical contraction, and reflex contraction, illustrating varieties of chronic functional spasm / by Henry Hun. 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.

    11/13
    the other, although the apparent shortening was evidently due to a drawing up of the pelvis on that side. The electricity was now applied exclusively to the neck and hip, and at the same time she was confidently assured that the electricity would lengthen her leg; with the result that three days later she could move her head freely in all directions, and the legs were apparently and actually of the same length. By the end of May she was able to walk about without assistance, and on June 6th she was discharged well. July, 1888. I have seen the patient at intervals during the past two years and she has continued perfectly well. Remarks.—In this case the spasm, though wide- spread, was not nearly so general as in the case of tetany ; the muscles of the arms and body not being affected and the muscles of the neck being con- tracted on one side only, such unilateral spasm being common in hysteria and never occurring in tetany. The character of the muscular contraction was alto- gether different in the two cases; in the case of tetany the muscles were hard and clearly defined and evidently at all times firmly contracted, while in the case of hysteria the muscles felt soft and were apparently scarcely contracted at all unless an effort was made to extend them. The contraction seemed rather to be a voluntary one, which was only made when it was necessary in order to keep her limbs in the fixed position. In the case of tetany, notwith- standing the muscular spasm, the patient was able to mcrve her limbs, although slowly and with difficulty;