The nervous and mental consequences of influenza in the majority of cases are poisoning by some ptomaine produced by the bacteria of the disease. P. C. Knapp (Boston Med. and Surg. Jour., Sept. 15, '92).
Case of bilateral neuritis of the bra chial plexus suddenly followed influenza. Complete paralysis of the arms occurred, with atrophy and reaction of degenera tion in the paralyzed muscles. The father of patient had been similarly affected in the lower members also after influenza. M. A. Claus (Jour. de 116(1., de Chin, et de Pharm., May 26, '94).
Two cases of cerebral sclerosis follow ing influenza. Rendu (Le Prog. 116d., Jan. 5, '95).
Case in which several weeks after in fluenza, when weather extremely severe, patient noticed paralysis of muscles sup plied by facial nerve, first left side then right. Brother and father had had facial palsy. W. J. Barkas (Lancet, Jan. 26, '95).
Aphasia observed in the course of in fluenza' pneumonia. Pailhas (Arch. de Neurol., 'May, '95).
Influenza is a specific nervous fever and, like cerebrospinal fever, is infec tious. Backache, spinal; headache, de lirium, tinnitus, etc., due to implication of cranial nerves; vomiting and diarrhoea probably reflex; complications mainly nervous. H. Waite (Brit. Med. Jour., June 22, '95).
Case of transitory aphasia following in fluenza. Dargelo (Nouveau Montpellier Mad., July 20, '95).
Man, aged 40, a tailor, alcoholic and very neurotic, bad been under persona] observation during the last and the pres ent year, suffering from a recurrent des quamative affection of the skin following influenza.
in February, 1895, he had a typical severe attack of influenza, and was in bed a month with it. He does not think he had any rash. In the beginning of March his hands and feet began to peel and his nails to become dry and brittle. He came under observation on March 21st, when the following note was made: "Over both hands the epidermis is peel ing off in large sheets, especially from the fingers, leaving the subjacent skin healthy. There is hypertrophy of the nail-bed of all the fingers, and especially of the thumbs, where the piling up of epidermis is so great as to threaten the vitality of the nail. There is a similar desquamation of the soles and similar changes in the toe-nails, but less marked.
The man is in a marked condition of post influenzal neurasthenia. ' Subsequently all his nails fell off, and were replaced by new nails with promi nent transverse ridges. His nervous pros tration persisted; he complained of per sistent "paralytic feelings" in the fingers, and disordered sensation. Finally he be came profoundly melancholic, but im proved greatly at a convalescent home at the sea-side.
He had another attack of influenza in October, 1895, followed by similar changes and total loss of nails, and again in February, 1896. Recently he had a fresh attack, called "bronchitis," and he returned to the hospital on November 4th with desquamation of all the fingers, although more marked in some than in others. There is, on examination, no anaesthesia, but some loss of tactile sensi bility. J. J. Pringle (Brit. Jour. of Derm., Dec., '96).
In some cases presenting otalgia the subjects had moderate fever, but the aural pain was intense, and lasted from three to nine days. No evidence of an inflammatory process could be observed on examining the cars. These cases be lieved to be examples of pure otalgia, constituting an abortive form of epidemic influenza. D. Kaufmann (N. Y. Med. Jour., Feb. 13, '97).
The great majority of cases of multiple neuritis following influenza are, in reality, instances of peripheral neuritis, an intoxication of the nerve-trunks; this may be sufficient to produce rapid de struction of the nerve-fibres or just enough to cause pain by irritation. This is sustained by the fact that the salicy lates are useful in these cases, owing to their power of promoting the elimination of some toxic agents. H. B. Allyn (Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc., July 24, '97).
A case of sclerosis of the tongue of in fluenza] origin. The middle portion of the tongue was of a wooden hardness. This condition followed an attack of in fluenza in a person of middle age. The pathological change involved the cheeks also. Iodide had no effect upon the dis ease. Another case was described in which the tongue had assumed an atrophic and mammillated state after an attack of the same affliction. M. Cour tade (Laryngoscope, Jan., '98).