File:Diseases of the nervous system - for the general practitioner and student (1913) (14786164453).jpg

Identifier: diseasesofnervou00gord (find matches)
Title: Diseases of the nervous system : for the general practitioner and student
Year: 1913 (1910s)
Authors: Gordon, Alfred, 1869-1953
Subjects: Nervous System Diseases
Publisher: Philadelphia : Blakiston's Son
Contributing Library: Columbia University Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Open Knowledge Commons

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en found to be positive. At presentthe writers are divided: some describe under the name of Littles diseaseboth the congenital and the acquired forms, some make a sharp distinc-tion and ccnsider three characteristic features necessary for Littles dis-ease, viz. (1) the affection must be congenital, (2) of cerebral origin, and(3) due to agenesis of the pyramidal tract. The pyramidal fibers becomecovered with myelin only during the first few months after normal birth. n8 INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN According to Van Gehuchten, at seven months the pyramidal fibers areabsent in the spinal cord and can be traced only in the brain and medulla.It stands to reason that there is no continuity between the cortex, whichsends out stimulation, and the peripheral nerves, or else the stimulationsent out from the cortex to the spinal centers is not properly transmittedfor want of normal pyramidal fibers. The rigidity of the muscles indiplegia can therefore be explained either by increase of the muscular
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Fig. 68.—Diplegia, LittlesDisease. Fig. 69.—Paraplegia, Littles Disease (Idiot). tonus or by transmission of a continuous morbid stimulation throughimperfectly developed pyramidal fibers. Fournier had long ago called attention to hereditary syphilis as an etio-logical factor in Littles disease. In a large number of cases the diseaseis present in individuals whose parents were distinctly syphilitic. Notinfrequently diplegic children present certain stigmata of syphilis, suchas hydrocephalus, internal strabismus, etc. In some cases at autopsy INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN 119 of diplegics lesions of syphilitic nature had been found: sclerotic andgummatous formations, meningeal conditions, cerebral endarteritis,meningo-myelitis. Finally, Wasserman reaction has been frequentlyfound positive in diplegics. On the other hand, a negative Wassermandoes not exclude syphilis. The fact that diplegia is observed frequentlyin association with premature birth is also suggestive of hereditarysyphilis

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