TUMORS OF THE BRAIN AND INFLAMMATION, Abscess, etc. Abscess.
Causes.—This is always secondary and comes from some other part of the body. It comes often in young and middle life and is more common in males than in females. The most frequent cause is inflammation of the ear and the next is from fracture of the skull bones. It may be large or small.
Symptoms.—May come slowly or quickly. After an injury to the head the symptoms may come on suddenly such as intense headache, delirium, vomiting, chills, high fever, and sometimes convulsions, and a very deep seeming sleep (coma). In chronic cases the symptoms are not so severe.
Treatment.—An operation if the abscess can be reached. If not, an ice bag should be applied to the head; quiet the distress with narcotics.
TUMORS OF THE BRAIN.—Varieties in order of their frequency. Gumma, tuberculous tumors, glioma, sarcoma, cancer, etc.
Causes. Predisposing.—Men are about twice as often affected as women until fifty and then it is about equal. It is more frequent in early adult life. The exciting causes are blows and severe emotional shock.
Gumma (in third stage of Syphilis) appear as a round, yellow, cheesy mass, usually beginning in the membranes and are usually seen between thirty and fifty. They come from syphilis.
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Tuberculous tumors. These appear as hard masses and vary in size. They may be single or many, and are situated in any part of the brain. More than half of the tumors appearing in children are of this variety.
Glioma. "Glue-tumor." They come from tissue forming the basis of the supporting framework of the nervous tissue. This kind occurs often in the young.