AN ARGYLL ROBERTSON PUPIL BECOMING NORMAL AFTER MERCURY AND SALVARSAN

Abstract

H. W., aged 32, married eight years, whose child, aged 3, and wife show no evidence of syphilitic lesions, had gonorrhea years ago, but does not know of ever having had a chancre or initial lesion. I saw him July 30, 1912. He consulted his physician then on account of difficulty in walking and cramps in the calves of his legs. Examination at that time revealed complete loss of patellar reflexes; Argyll Robertson pupil in both eyes (no reaction to light); cramps in the calves; gastric and intestinal crises; marked Romberg sign; testicular reflex increased so that stroking the skin on the inside of thigh caused the testicle to be drawn up into the canal; muscle sense disturbed; gait markedly affected; Wassermann reaction positive. The treatment consisted of mercurial inunctions and potassium iodid until August 20. He was then given 0.6 gm. of salvarsan in the right gluteal region. A