CASES OF ATHETOSIS. 129 



free. It was then noted : The wrist droops, the meta- 

 carpus hanging straight down, but frequently supi- 

 nated rather quickly, but not in a jerky manner ; 

 the hand then passes slowly back to its former 

 position, the series of movements being repeated. 

 Flexion and extension of the wrist through a few 

 degrees are nearly constant movements. 



The movements of the fingers are almost inces- 

 sant, the primary and quickest movements being 

 flexor, followed by slower extension. The move- 

 ments are slower than the jerks of chorea, and 

 more deliberate, not looking like gesticulations; 

 they are purposeless and gliding in kind. 



The fingers are constantly going through gro- 

 tesque movements, sometimes crossing one another, 

 sometimes one is extended, while the others are 

 flexed ; there are no adductor and abductor twitches, 

 such as are usually seen in chorea; the thumb is 

 mostly turned in on the palm, but is also often 

 extended. These finger movements appear utterly 

 purposeless, looking as if the tendons were merely 

 pulling upon dead fingers, as an automaton pulled 

 by strings, or like the movements of a boneless 

 limb, such as an elephant's trunk or an anemone's 

 tentacle. The metacarpal bones are rather con- 

 tracted together by the arching of the palm of the 

 hand, giving it a narrow appearance. 



CASE II. Athetosis associated with Chronic 

 Hydroceplialus. 



His general health was good, and no disease was 

 detected in any organ but the brain. The condition 



K 



