130 THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 
Syphilitic inflammation. 
The two latter may give rise to the formation, the former to tuber- 
cles and the latter to gummata. 
How are the acute inflammations of the cord classified ? 
Acute myelitis or transverse myelitis. 
Acute disseminated myelitis. 
Polio-myelitis anterior. 
Describe transverse myelitis. 
The gross changes are quite marked. The affected part is softer 
than the rest of the cord. The diseased portion may be red, white, 
yellow or gray. Microscopical examination may show blood or blood 
pigment, fragments of nerve fibre, more or less degenerated, also myelin 
droplets, fet droplets, large and small cells filled with fat droplets, 
granular matter and neuroglia cells. Sometimes small bodies resem- 
bling starch granules (corpora amylacea) are seen. 
What changes are seen in acute disseminated myelitis ? 
The whole length of the cord is affected. It is swollen and con- 
gested. It is infiltrated with pus-cells, the connective-tissue framework 
is swollen, and the nerve fibres are degenerated. 
What are the microscopical changes in polio-myelitis anterior ? 
The ganglion cells of the anterior gray cornua degenerate, atrophy 
and may become pigmented. There may be an increased amount of 
connective tissue in the cornua and in the anterior and lateral columns, 
There may be an atrophy of the anterior nerve roots and degeneration 
and destruction of a considerable portion of the anterior cornua. 
What are the varieties of chronic myelitis ? 
Chronic transverse myelitis. 
Multiple sclerosis. 
Posterior spinal sclerosis or locomotor ataxia, 
What are the changes in chronic transverse myelitis ? 
The lesion is due to pressure upon some portion of the cord. In- 
stead of an inflammatory softening there is a local production of new 
connective tissue and a destruction of the nerve elements. 
Describe multiple sclerosis. 
There is a production of new connective tissue in patches in differ- 
ent parts of the cord involving gray or white matter or both. The 
nerve cells become atrophied and degenerated. The new connective 
