G. H. F. Nuttall 
07 
unable to stand on her feet; in attempting to stand she would fall in 
a heap on the floor. She had perfect control of her upper limbs, 
temperature normal, absence of pain. The child would have been 
considered well had it not been for the impediment in standing. 
I thought, however, the symptoms indicated a serious lesion. She was 
given calomel and strychnine. 
The next morning I called, to find her completely recovered, much 
to my surprise. The mother told me she had removed a tick from the 
back of the girl’s head. I attached no importance to this, thinking 
it only a coincidence, and concluded the medicine had done wonders. 
I had not at this time heard of Tick Bite producing paralysis. 
Case 2. Little girl, Aiken, age six, of Paradise, Oregon, was brought 
to my office, a distance of forty miles, lying upon a cot in a spring 
waggon. Her symptoms were as follows : upon retiring the previous 
day she was in her usual normal health. The following morning upon 
arising she was unable to stand upon her feet, according to the parent’s 
story. Upon arriving at my office I found paralysis extending to the 
knees ; slight temperature, no pain, sensory nerves normal, motor nerves 
completely paralyzed, reflexes absent. She was placed in bed, given 
purgatives. Potassium Iodide, etc. 
The following day the paralysis had extended to the upper limbs, 
and before night of the third day to the nerves of the throat 
(Hypoglossal). Thorax and larynx were involved. Her breathing 
was laboured, she was unable to swallow liquids, phonation was impos¬ 
sible, and she could make only low, guttural sounds. 
At the evening call I directed the nurse to apply tincture of Iodine 
to the spinal column the entire length, and in doing so she found two 
ticks fully distended with blood over the junction of the spinal column 
with the occipital bones in the hollow depression. I was called by 
telephone and examination confirmed the report. I removed them by 
the application of undiluted creoline. I fully expected the child to die. 
To my surprise, the following morning she was very much improved. 
By evening she was able to speak, the paralysis gradually receded, 
remaining longest in the feet. At the end of one week she was able to 
return to her home. 
Case 3. Little girl, age 10 (name Chauvette), at Enterprise, Oregon. 
I was consulted over the telephone, and the symptoms described being 
similar to those in previous cases, I directed the mother to search the 
child for ticks. She did, but failed to find them. When I was called, 
I had the child stripped, and noted the following symptoms : the patient 
Parasitology vii 7 
