Failure to Cure Baldness

Abstract

In my case, despite the length of time the patient had been paralysed, complete neurological recovery took place. As the radiograph shows, considerable radiological change was already present in the vertebral bodies at the time of admission. Rankin and Flothow (1946) report a similar case in which, despite considerable delay in treatment after paralysis had set in, recovery took place. This is contrary to the malign results that attend epidural space infections in the lumbar region. The reasons presumably are that in the cervical region the tension is in front of the stout spinal ligament and that the cervical cord, receiving a large part of its blood supply from the cervical branches of the vertebral artery, is less dependent on intervertebral components. The diagnosis should not present great difficulty provided the possibility of the condition is borne in mind. But the condition is rare, and the striking neurological signs may fix attention to the cord, so that the aetiological cause of these signs escapes observation. My thanks are duc to Mr. Salthouse, of Makerere College, for the photograph. I am grateful to the Director of Medical Services for permission to publish this paper.