. The diseases of infancy and childhood. , the new condition providing the necessary irritation to makethe tetany active. Thus, tetany is seen with acute diseases of the gastro-intestinal tract, pneumonia and the acute infectious diseases. There are no characteristic pathological changes other than those o{the associated rickets. In a certain proportion of the cases alterations inthe parathyroids are found. One or more of the four glands may beenlarged and red as a result of extravasation, or the changes may onlybe evident under the microscope and consist in small hemorrhages, andthe remains o
. The diseases of infancy and childhood. , the new condition providing the necessary irritation to makethe tetany active. Thus, tetany is seen with acute diseases of the gastro-intestinal tract, pneumonia and the acute infectious diseases. There are no characteristic pathological changes other than those o{the associated rickets. In a certain proportion of the cases alterations inthe parathyroids are found. One or more of the four glands may beenlarged and red as a result of extravasation, or the changes may onlybe evident under the microscope and consist in small hemorrhages, andthe remains of hemorrhages. Symptoms.—One of the most characteristic and striking is carpo-pedal spasm. It is, however, by no means the most common manifesta- TETANY 679 tion and is seen in only a small percentage of the cases. The spasmot the hands and feet may develop abruptly, or it may be preceded bysensory disturbances. The upper extremities are usually first affected andboth sides equally. The position is very characteristic: The fingers are. Pig. 86.—Tetany, showing the Characteristic Position of the Hands and Feet. In a child two years old. flexed at the metacarpophalangeal joints and the phalanges extended; thethumbs are adducted almost to the little finger; the wrist is flexed acutelyand the hand drawn somewhat to the ulnar side. If the spasm is verymarked no motion is allowed at the wrist. The feet are strongly ex-tended, sometimes in the position of equinovarus. The first phalanges 680 DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM of the toes are flexed, and the second and third rows extended; the plantarsurface is strongly arched and the dorsum of the foot is very prominent,standing out like a cushion. The typical position of the hands and feetis well shown in Fig. 86. Motion at the elbow, shoulder, hip and kneeis generally free. The spasm in many cases is limited to the hands andfeet; more rarely the muscles of the thigh, usually the adductors, maybe involved. In rare cases the muscles o
Size: 1172px × 2132px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1920
