4. What is the effect of seizures upon the future course of paretic neurosyphilis? The current idea as expressed, for example, by Mercier, is that “immediately after each crisis the patient is much worse than he was before it, and thereafter there is some improvement, but he never improves up to the point at which he was before the occurrence of the crisis.” That is, “The course of the disease is one of sudden plunges, each deeper than the last, each followed by a gradual recovery that is less complete than the recovery from the previous plunge.”
5. During what period of the disease are seizures most common? Late in the disease many cases have convulsions, even though there were none for the first year or two. In other cases the convulsion is the first indication of paresis.
DIFFUSE (non-paretic) NEUROSYPHILIS (“cerebrospinal syphilis”) is often marked by APHASIA.
Case 21. Martha Bartlett, a woman of 40 years, was brought to the Psychopathic Hospital aphasic, or at least unable to talk distinctly enough to be understood, or even to give name and address. The police had found her wandering aimlessly about the streets. Although she was well-dressed, she was mud-bespattered and apparently had not changed her garments for several days. It shortly developed that the patient, although unable to express herself either in words or by writing, could understand everything that was said to her and could indicate by the monosyllables yes or no whether she agreed or disagreed with statements made. It was thus determined that she was pretty well oriented. She was able to understand both speech and printed words. Although she approximated more than is at all common a pure type of motor aphasia, it appeared that there was a slight involvement on the sensory side, especially in the sphere of visual imagery.
Neurologically, the patient showed moderate strabismus, slight deviation of the tongue to the right, and considerable tremor on protrusion of the tongue. The right side of the palate hung lower than the left. The ankle and arm reflexes were possibly more active on the left side, and the left grasp was somewhat better than the right. Both knee-jerks were active, but again the reflex on the left side was more active than the right. No other abnormalities of reflex were determined. There was no Rombergism but the gait was somewhat ataxic. For the rest, the physical examination was normal. The blood pressure was 120 systolic, 85 diastolic.
CONDITIONS IN WHICH SPEECH DEFECT IS FOUND
NEUROSYPHILIS
HYPOGLOSSAL PARALYSIS
FACIAL PALSY
PARALYSIS OF PALATE (Post-Diptheritic)