A case of primary cancerous tumour of the brain : with remarks / by G. Mackenzie Bacon.
- Bacon, G. Mackenzie.
- Date:
- [1864]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A case of primary cancerous tumour of the brain : with remarks / by G. Mackenzie Bacon. 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.
1/4
![/I [Reprinted from the “JOURNAL OF MENTAL SCIENCE,” No. XLIX, April, 1864.] A CASE OF nilMARY Aancbrous tumour of the BRAIN.^ WITH REMARKS. By G. MACKENZIE BACON, M.D, L.VTE ASSISTA2JT MEDICAL OFFICEB OF THE NORFOLK LUNATIC ASYLUM. The following case derives interest from its comparative rarit)', and from the fact that its history may he detailed with tolerable completeness, both as regards the mental phenomena and the structural lesion. It possesses, also, another attraction, in the interest it may awaken as to the exact nature of the morbid growth, for the pathology of such cases is by no means an undisputed point. C.VSE.—Congenital imbecility—Attacks oj recurrent mania—Imperfect hemiplegia— Subsequent paraplegia and death—Post-mortem appearances—Tumour of brain {probably cancerous)—Microscopical examination, Stephen Kemp, set. 34, a labourer, was admitted into the Norfolk Asylum for the second time in July, 1861, and remained till his death. May 3, 1863. He was from birth of deficient intellect, but pursued the even tenor of his ways pretty harmlessly tiU about the age of puberty, when he became violent, and liable to wander away. Hitherto he had lived with his mother, and been at times employed in the fields, but he was now sent to the County Asylum, where, however, he was not detained very long. For seven- teen years he remained at large, under the care of his mother, and was returned to the Asylum in July, 1861. At that time he appeared to be a stout, hearty countryman, robust and' rubicund. His mental capacity was very small, and he was described as “ a good-tempered fool, unfit for any steady employment, and quite satisfied with passing his time in shouting at the train, and in running wildly about the courts.” For the next year he had recurring attacks of mania, more or less active, being during them noisy and demonstrative, but not violent. In May, 1862, he first showed signs of bodily ailment, the muscular power of the left - leg and arm being much impaired. These symptoms came on very gradually, and he could all the time drag himself about, though unable latterly to dress without assistance, but after a month he improved a good deal. In September he was weaker, and both his lower limbs were then most affected, the left arm having almost recovered its motile power. During the previous six months he had been occasionally noisy and excited, but much less so than f onnerly. In December he was quite paraplegic, had but little sensation in the legs, and com- plained a great deal of lumbar pain. He was quiet, had to be fed regularly, and re- quired great attention, and seemed indifferent as well as of diminished intelligence. For the last four months of his life he remained a helpless lump, and died very gradually, not particularly wasted, without bed-sores, or any obvious indications of disease, be- yond the paraplegia.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b2235461x_0003.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
