A forced posture with a forward-bent trunk was termed camptocormia by the French neurologist Souques in 1915. In his case history, which consisted of young soldiers, the condition occurred acutely, was usually psychogenic, lasted for months, and could be cured quickly and durably by a "persuasive" electrotherapy. Numerous similar cases were observed during the World War I and II and immediately thereafter. In the last 10 years, the same term has been used to describe kyphotic postural anomalies resulting from a primary or neurogenic affection of the paravertebral muscles. This condition mainly occurs in older women, takes a chronically progressive course, and responds well to corticosteroid therapy. To avoid misunderstandings of nomenclature, this somatic disease should not be designated as camptocormia, but rather as thoracolumbar kyphosis in old age.

SUMMARY Report about experiences with clonazepam in the treatment of 24 infants with infantile spasms and 13 children with Lennox‐Gastaut syndrome. Control of spasms for a varying period of time was obtained in 13 infants with West syndrome and in 6 children with Lennox‐Gastaut syndrome, although nearly one‐third of the patients had failed to respond to previous treatment with nitrazepam. Among the side effects of clonazepam hypersecretion in the respiratory tract is the most limiting factor in infants. RÉSUMÉ Rapport des résultats concernant le traitement par le clonazepam de 24 enfants présentant des spasmes en flexion et de 13 enfants avec la syndrome de Lennox‐Gastaut; un tiers de ces 37 enfants avait démontré une résistance préalable au nitrazepam. La disparition des crises pour une période variable fut obtenue chez 13 nourrissons avec spasmes en flexion et chez 6 enfants avec syndrome de Lennox‐Gastaut. Parmi les effets secondaires ľencombrement des voies respiratoires chez les nourrissons fut le facteur le plus important. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Es wird über die Erfahrungen mit Clonazepam in der Behandlung von 24 Säuglingen mit Blitz‐Nick‐Salaam‐Krämpfen und von 13 Kindern mit Lennox‐Gastaut Syndrom berichtet. Bei 13 Säuglingen mit BNS‐Krämpfen und bei 6 Kindern mit Lennox‐Gastaut Syndrom konnte eine Anfallsfreiheit von unterschiedlicher Dauer erzielt werden, wobei ein Drittel dieser Patienten früher auf Nitrazepam nicht angesprochen hatte. Die wichtigste Nebenerscheinung des Clonazepam war die Verschleimung der Atemwege bei 8 Säuglingen. Las crisis desaparecieron durante un periódo variable de tiempo en 13 de los enfermos con espasmos infantiles, y en 6 de la niños afectos de síndrome de Lennox. Entre los efectos secundarios observados, el más importante fue la hipersecreción a nivel de las vias respiratorias. RESUMEN Se exponen los resultados obtenidos en el tratamiento con clonazepam de 25 niños con espasmos infantiles y de 13 niños con síndrome de Lennox; la tercera parte de estos pacientes habián mostrado previamente ser resistentes a una medicación con nitrazepam.

As a result of painstaking studies carried out over a period of almost 30 years, the German neurologist and psychiatrist Hans Berger, of Jena, published the first paper on the human electroencephalogram (‘Über das Elektrenkephalogramm des Menschen’) in 1929. Clinical electroencephalography, which reached a zenith in the 1950s and 1960s, increased the range of diagnostic techniques available for a series of brain diseases and revolutionized the study of epilepsy. Today, conventional electroencephalography no longer yields startling scientific discoveries. Nor can it compete with computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, in the diagnosis of structural disorders of the brain. In spite of this, the scope of its uses continues to increase and it remains an indispensable instrument of neurophysiological diagnosis, especially in its capacity as a ‘seismograph’ of the brain. The trend that is apparent throughout the world to cut back clinical electroencephalographic units in favor of other neurophysiological investigative techniques is both unjustified and dangerous. If it continues, it will inevitably lead to a decline in epileptology, which is an essential part of the work of many different medical specialists both in practice and in hospitals.

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