On some forms of paralysis from peripheral neuritis : of gouty, alcoholic, diphtheritic, and other origin / by Thomas Buzzard.

Date:
1886
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On some forms of paralysis from peripheral neuritis : of gouty, alcoholic, diphtheritic, and other origin / by Thomas Buzzard. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    on the left side these movements could scarcely he per- formed at all. Examination with electric currents in February showed loss of faradic excitability in the muscles of both legs below the knee, and in the vasti of the left thigh. There was slight reaction to strong induced currents in the vasti of the right thigh. The knee-phenomenon was well marked on both sides, especially on the left. Plantar reflex was well marked and produced more vivid reflex movements in the opposite leg than in the one touched. This was especially to be remarked of the left leg when the sole of the right foot was tickled. The abdominal and epigastric reflexes were well marked, especially on the left side. Tactile and painful sensibility were not apparently affected, but he complained of numbness in the feet and hands. The sciatic nerves and the anterior tibial nerves in their lower third were tender on pressure. Many points of tenderness were to be found over the spinal column, especially about the lower dorsal region. The arms looked thin and wasted but presented no marked loss of reaction to electric currents. The grasp of each hand was very weak, the dynamometer giving 40° for the right, 45° for the left. Patient had a half-jaundiced appearance; his liver was large; there was no albumen in his urine. For many months he had suffered from diarrhoea, morning sickness, and loss of appetite. He had been in the habit of drink- ing a great deal of beer since he was twelve years of age. On an average he had taken ten pints of beer daily, and sometimes whisky as well. He had twice suffered from delh’ium tremens. This patient was treated by confinement to his bed for some months, total abstinence from alcoholic liquors, and