Clinical lectures on neurasthenia.

  • Savill, Thomas Dixon, 1856-1910.
Date:
1902
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: Clinical lectures on neurasthenia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    certain of its normal constituents, while others became diminished or lost. During September, the gastro-intestinal disturbance, due chiefly to the ravenous eating and bolting of food, seemed to be the main element in the case, for all the other symptoms were bad in proportion to the severity of the alimentary derangement. During one of these exacerbations, matters assumed a very serious aspect. The tongue was dry, brown, and cracked, the teeth loaded with sordes. His violence, if he was touched or approached, was extreme. His perverseness was so great that he would neither stay in bed nor get up, and it was necessary for two attendants to remain with him continuously. The temperature on this, the only occasion, was elevated, varying between ioo° and 100*5° m tne evening for a week or ten days. The bowels were either obstinately constipated or in a condition of diarrhoea (? in consequence of medicine). In proportion as the alimentary disturbance was severe, the arterial tension became high, the muscular rigidity marked, and the violent resistance and other mental symptoms more pronounced. This attack lasted six or seven days, and towards the end was accompanied by so much weakness that it was a question whether he would not die of asthenia. Between these attacks the mind seemed to be a blank. The suspicions and delusions had passed away. He hardly ever spoke even when addressed, though he seemed to recognise some people. Left alone, he would remain in one position for hours at a time; spoken to or approached, he put up his hand to resist. This condition was interrupted every few days with a glimmer of returning intelligence, in which he would ask a few simple questions like one awaking out of sleep. On September 24th the following note was made: