Cardiac arrhythmia in relation to cerebral anaemia and epileptiform crises / by Alfred Webster, M.D., Fellow of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow.

  • Webster, Alfred.
Date:
[1901]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Cardiac arrhythmia in relation to cerebral anaemia and epileptiform crises / by Alfred Webster, M.D., Fellow of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    and was maintained until the patient was dismissed from hospital. The moditication at the end of tracings Nos. 15 and 18 was adopted to demonstrate the tension by exaggerating the tidal and dicrotic waves. The remainder of the sphygmograms serve to indicate the varying character of the pulse, both in volume and in rhythm,, over a period of many months. Some of them also demon- strate points of importance, which will be referred to in due course. Although the two cases which Tripier observed liimself were reported with the view of supporting the theory that the epileptiform seizures preceded and were the cause of the cardiac arhythmia, it has been necessary to include them in this paper in order that we might examine Tripier’s reasons for formu- lating his opinions. In both of these cases we have a condition in which a slow pulse obtained, and this was associated with epileptiform spasms. Of the other cases which have been collected by Tripier we do not propose to deal in detail. * An extract taken from his remarks on these cases will be sufficient to indicate his views. Concerning one case he says;—“ On ne saurait douter que le malade ait eu des crises epileptiformes coincidant avec des troubles cardiaques et notamment avec I’arret du coeur et la production d’un rhythme couple. Ce dernier pluinommie est signale dans I’observation avant les crises, de telle sorte qu’on pourrait croire que celles-ci etaieut survenues consecutivenient et meme qu’elles dependaient du trouble cardiaque, surtout d’apres la maniere dont I’observation est redigce. Mais nous rejetons cette interpretation en nous basant sur toutes les obser- vations analogues rapportes precedemment, dans lesquelles nous voyons les crises epileptiques ou syncopales prdceder evidemment les deviations du rhythme cardiaque, tandis qu’aucune observation anterieure precise ne permet d’admettre le contraire.” And again:—“Du moment ou I’attention n’etait pas particu- lierement appelee sur les crises, celles-ci out pu passer inaper- Ques au d^but.” And lastly :—“ II n’est guere admissable que les phdnomOies convulsifs a repetition, avec perte de connaissance, sans souf- france et sans le souvenir des accidents oprouves, puissent etre