Internal hydrocephalus in the adult, with remarks on the aetiology of hydrocephalus and its occasional association with other abnormal conditions of the central nervous system / by F. Parkes Weber.

  • Weber, Frederick Parkes, 1863-1962.
Date:
1902
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Internal hydrocephalus in the adult, with remarks on the aetiology of hydrocephalus and its occasional association with other abnormal conditions of the central nervous system / by F. Parkes Weber. 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.

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    bis head at birth. It is unfortunate that the weight of the brain at death is neither mentioned in this nor in Hilton’s case; both the patients in question gave evidence of con- siderable intellectual development, and possibly had slightly “ hypertrophied ” brains, such as those alluded to later on. Dr. Taylor’s patient was a boy aged 16, admitted into Guy’s Hospital, September 11, 1895. His head was large from birth. At 8 months he had bronchitis and fits. He did not walk properly till he was 1 year and 10 months old. He talked plainly at 2^. At 8 he had scarlatina, which was followed by nocturnal incontinence of urine. At 12 he learned the violin, and could play it and sing wTell. At 13|- he left school, and became a compositor, working regularly about 54 hours a week. His mother considered him to be strong and active, and quick at picking up information. Headache and vomiting were the prominent symptoms in the hospital. Headache had been first complained of in August, 1895, and vomiting on September 2. His gait was unsteady. There was no anaesthesia or loss of sensibility to pain or temperature. Knee-jerks somewhat increased on both sides. Optic discs normal. The headache was con- stant across the forehead, and occasional over the occiput, sometimes very severe, especially on sitting up. On Sep- tember 16 the head was retracted, and during the next days patient was drowsy. On September 19 there was severe pain in the back of the neck. Weakness in legs. On Sep- tember 20 there was a little fever. Weakness in all limbs ; increasing in the legs. Knee-jerks absent. Slightly drowsy. Speech hesitating. Some nystagmus. No optic neuritis. Embarrassed breathing. Cyanosis. Death. At the necropsy the bones of the skull were found to be remarkably thinned by pressure. The pia arachnoid was thickened over the base of the cerebellum, particularly near the foramen of Magendie. It was adherent to the dura mater in several places, espe- cially over the foramen magnum. There were thirty ounces of liquid in the distended ventricles. The ependyma was granular. Occasionally hydrocephalic patients, with heads already greatly enlarged in childhood, have lived to adult life. A