Pathological and histological researches on inflammation of the nervous centres / by John Hughes Bennett.

  • Bennett, John Hughes, 1812-1875.
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Pathological and histological researches on inflammation of the nervous centres / by John Hughes Bennett. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

    9/92 (page 7)
    Obs. II.—Hypertrophy of the heart with mitral disease; he- miplegia of the left side ; loss of consciousness ; return of intelligence; and partial diminution of paralysis ; death six months after ; soft' eningofthe right corpus striatum, and the cerebral substance sur- rounding it ; nervous tubes broken up, mixed with exudation masses and corpuscles ; vessels of the diseased part coated externally with exudation granules. Ellen Bayne, aged 25, admitted into the Royal Infirmary, June 8th 1841, under Dr Craig-ie : married. Six months ago she was attacked with pain in the heart and giddiness, followed by want of power in the whole of the left side of the body, and loss of speech. On the following day she became insensible, and remained so nearly a fortnight; at all events more than a week. She entered the hospital in Aberdeen, was bled and underwent other trea,tment, and has gradually improved until now. The symptoms on admission were, weakness in the left side and left ex- tremity, with inability to place the left foot firmly on the ground. She has recovered the power of the left side of the face, and has considerable command over the left upper extremity; loss of appe- tite. (Bleeding, purgatives, and blister to the head.) She remain- ed in this state until July 8th, when she complained of pain in the region of the heart. A sonorous rattle was heard in the chest; re- spiration not very audible ; impulse of the heart was strong, and a rough rolling murmur with the first sound. (Bleeding to §xiv. ; blister to cardiac region.) 14th. Cardiac action less violent; has little power over index-finger of left hand. On July 20th, she went out of the Infirmary by her own desire, but was brought back on the 25th, with the following symptoms : Surface of the body and extremities cold ; pulse gone at both wrists ; respiration laborious ; sensible, recognized surrounding persons ; voice feeble ; difliculty in speaking ; lips livid ; general prostration. (Stimulants, blisters, turpentine enema.) Died 10 p.m. It is stated that she has had frequent miscarriages ; that on leaving the house she slept on a cold floor, and caught cold ; had constipation and fever, which increased with difficulty of breathing until her readmission. Sectio, July 27th—The subarachnoid cellular tissueVasinfiltrated with serous fiuid, and the vessels of the pia mater much loaded with dark-coloured blood. On making sections into the hemispheres, much serum escaped. The ventricles were somewhat enlarged ; gss. of serum was taken from the right ventricle, and Jij. from the left one. The whole surface of the right corpus striatum was of a fawn colour, had lost its rounded convex appearance, and though smooth, was soft and pulpy in consistence. External to the right corpus striaLum, the medullary matter was softened, and its texture broken up into a pulp. The colour of this softened portion was of a yel- lowish-red, its size about that of a hen's egg, and it grew more dense m consistence towards the periphery. The right Sylvian artery opaque, firm, friable, and contracted. Rest of the brain normal. _ The heart was enlarged in all its dimensions, weighed gxiij. The right ventricle was enlarged lialf as much again as its usual size, and Its parietes were thicker and firmer than natural. There were cartilaginous and bony depositions in the mitral valve, encroaching