On Arsenical Paralysis. 13 



Severe emaciation of the muscles, fore-arms and hands as well 

 as lower-legs had ensued. 



Bladder and rectum showed no functional disorders. The whole 

 of this nosography so fully coincides with that of the polyneuritis and 

 general symptom complex of arsenic poisoning that it scarcely requires 

 any comments. I may, however add that the pains remained about 3 

 months after intoxication which is not generally the case with acute 

 polyneuritis but as above mentioned ■ this is a characteristic of arsenical 

 paralysis. Also it is worthy of notice that the paralysis on the patients 

 entry in to the hospital was already regressing. Paralj^sis in the arms had 

 been so severe that the patient could not guide food to the mouth but 

 on examination at the hospital she could feed herself although she had 

 not yet regained such strength in the hands as to be able to cut her food. 



Again the paralysis in the lower extremities remained so that the 

 patient must still keep her bed. Even in this respect the case was cha- 

 racteristic. 



The Nature and Localization of Arsenic Paralysis. 



Up to -the last few years we have lived in ignorance as to the 

 anatomical nature and localization of arsenical paralysis. 



The cause of this is what I have already mentioned viz: the ab- 

 sence of post mortem examination in all cases. 



Prior writers accepted the fact, wathout satisfactory proofs that the 

 cause of arsenic paralysis must be searched for in the spinal cord 

 and even Ere declares in his celebrated work published in 1876 that the 

 symptoms of certain intoxications, as, amongst others, arsenical paralysis, 

 indicate a spinal disease. 



In the meantime this opinion during the next few years did not 

 remain undisputed. In the same degree as we learned to recognize the 

 real localization and symptoms of neuritis and polyneuritis it was con- 

 sidered that arsenic paralysis must also here be included. 



Such an opinion was first expressed by Leyden and this as early 

 as 1875; and since then his suggestion has been supported by several 

 authors such as JjEschkk and Strümpell. 



Seeing that it was impossible to decide the question by post- 

 mortem section as to the anatomical localization and nature of arsenical 

 paralysis, experiments on auimal were resorted to. 



To effect this two different methods were adopted. Some obser- 

 vers analysed chemically the brain, spinal cord and muscles with the 



