. The diseases of infancy and childhood : designed for the use of students and practitioners of medicine. ult form of the disease. When the disease is fully developed thecondition is pitiable. In my case almost every joint in the body,including those of the cervical vertebrae, was involved; the temporo-maxillary articulation, the shoulder, the elbow, the small finger-joints,the hips, knees, ankles and toes Avere all affected. The patient sleptin a semi-upright posture, and had to be carried from place to place. ACUTE ARTICULAR RHEUMATISM 449 There was very limited and painful motion in all the
. The diseases of infancy and childhood : designed for the use of students and practitioners of medicine. ult form of the disease. When the disease is fully developed thecondition is pitiable. In my case almost every joint in the body,including those of the cervical vertebrae, was involved; the temporo-maxillary articulation, the shoulder, the elbow, the small finger-joints,the hips, knees, ankles and toes Avere all affected. The patient sleptin a semi-upright posture, and had to be carried from place to place. ACUTE ARTICULAR RHEUMATISM 449 There was very limited and painful motion in all the affected joints(Fig. 107). Brabazon found that of 100 cases of this affection, only 3 per cent,occurred between the ages of five and fifteen years. Two theorieshave been advanced to explain this joint affection; one, that ofCharcot and Weil, is the neurotic theory, which is plausible because ofthe bilateral nature of the affection, the atrophy of the muscles aroundthe joints, the changes in the skin which becomes in time tense andshining, and the enlargement of the ends of the bones which enter into. Fig. 106.—Rheumatoid arthritis in a child, aged seven Deformity of all thejoints with fixation. Child forced to assume this attitude awake and in sleep. the formation of the joints. The infectious theory is supported by thefact that there is in many cases a diurnal fluctuation of temperatureof a degree or a fraction of a degree above the normal. The lymphnodes are enlarged; the liver and spleen are also enlarged in some cases(see Stills Disease). The heart is not usually involved. Prognosis.—The prognosis as to life is good. Treatment.—Treatment by massage, warm baths, and patientmanipulation of the joints under anesthesia, may affect slight improve-ment. In my case improvement was noted after a year of constanttreatment. Iodide of potassium is the only drug which relieves the29 450 THE SPECIFIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES pain. In some cases it exerts a favorable influence
Size: 1222px × 2045px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublish, booksubjectchildren
