PROGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Abstract

evidently as a result of disturbed renal secretion; also diabetes mellitus was present together with a moderate degree of spondylarthritis deformans and a slight degree of neuritis or radiculitis. The cramps ceased when the radiculitis became worse; they returned when the symptoms of radiculitis improved. An increase in the blood uric acid and a slight degree of radiculitis evidently were of great importance in producing painful spasms. On the other hand, metabolic changes resulting from diabetes were of no importance in the production of cramp. The spasms were diminished by a meatless diet and by decreasing the amount of uric acid in the body. The patient usually felt better in the spring and still more so in the summer than during the winter. By electrical examination the so-called myospastic reaction was demonstrated. The signs of the reaction were as follows: With a prolonged faradic current cramp in the abdominal muscles arose; this never resulted from a galvanic current. In the lower limbs irritability to galvanism was diminished for direct as well as indirect excitation but to faradism the excitability was normal in the lower limbs for direct as well as indirect excitation. The quality of the contraction was everywhere normal. AI; PROGNOSIS AND TREATMENT [117] Treatment of epilepsy with antirabic vaccine (Behandlung der Epilepsie mit antirabischen Vakzinen).-M. NIKOLIC. Munch. med. Woch., 1935, 82, 1493. A MAN, age 48, had suffered from typical idiopathic epilepsy for 38 years. For the last two years one or two epileptic fits had occurred daily. He was bitten by a dog suspected of suffering from rabies. The patient received an injection of antirabic Markvaccine Type B (Hempt) for two days and of Hirnvaccine Type A on each of the following six days. He had no fits and was well and healthy when seen three months after the first injection. It would be of interest to know if other cases of genuine epilepsy can be relieved in the same manner. M. [118] Trends in the outcome of general paresis.-HORATIO M. POLLOCK. Psychiatric Quarterly, 1935, 9, 194. THIS study comprises 10,240 first admissions, of which 8,186 were males and 2,054 females. It was found that the trend in rate of first admissions with general paresis is slowly declining, but the trend in female first admissions is rising. No change is found in trend in age-distribution of first admissions. Trends in recovery and improvement are upward and in death rates down274