Syphilis of the brain and spinal cord : showing the part which this agent plays in the production of paralysis, epilepsy, insanity, headache, neuralgia, hysteria, hypochondriasis, and nervous derangements / by Thomas Stretch Dowse.

  • Dowse, Thomas Stretch.
Date:
1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Syphilis of the brain and spinal cord : showing the part which this agent plays in the production of paralysis, epilepsy, insanity, headache, neuralgia, hysteria, hypochondriasis, and nervous derangements / by Thomas Stretch Dowse. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    have specially signalised themselves in investigating this disease, the names of Bartholin, Zacchias, Th. Bonet, Tissot, Morgagni, Astruc, Lazerme, Sauvages, Lieutaud, Cyrillo, Piso, Cardona, Rai'ken, Pelargus, etc., etc.; whilst the most eminent writers of the modern period are Ricord, Diday, Lagneau, Lancereaux, Fournier, Bazin, Virchow, Wegner, Dittrick, Von Barensprung, Zeissl, Bergh, Boeck, Bidenkap, and Bumstead; and in our own country, Mur- chison, Moxon, Weber, Payne, Lane, Lee, De Meric, Hill, Gas- coyen, Jonathan Hutchinson, and Wilks. With especial reference to the action of syphilis upon the ner- vous system and nervous centres, nothing much appears to have been known even by such distinguished authorities as John Hunter and Sir Astley Cooper. Yet it is evident from the works of Fernel and Fracastor, who speak of the cure of venereal algae,* that the effect of this poison upon the nerves could not have been altogether unknown to them, and Paracelsus f states that the Lues Gallica is at times compli- cated by paralysis and disease of the heart. Nicholas Massa also speaks of several specific neuralgias. J Baillou writes of specific neuralgias, and mentions the case of a patient who, after suffering from a complicated cephalalgia, with loss of several senses, died through a venereal tumour compressing the optic and olfactory nerves.§ Riviere mentions || a cephalee of the same nature. Baglivi mentions the case of a Venetian who was struck with paralysis in one of his limbs, in consequence of a venereal infection. In 1813 Pariset** stated that sometimes there is found arising from syphilis accidents of a varied character, such as epilepsy. Bardtt also affirms that the syphilitic virus has the power to irritate the nerves and to disturb their tranquillity, without any alteration * ‘ Cura doloris an a lue venerea,’ ‘Universa Medica,’ lib. vii., consilium lxxii. t ‘ Livre de Chirurgie, De morbo Gallico.’ X Ibid. § ‘Liber Paradigmatum,’ No. 7. || ‘Centime,’ 11, observ. xci. 11 ‘ Accroissement de la Medecine prat, trad, de Boucher,’ 1S51, p. 185. ** ‘Dictionnaire des Sciences Medicates,’ a l’article Causes. ++ Ibid.