Remarks on SOME FORMS OF SPASM IN CHILDHOOD: THEIR CAUSE AND TREATMENT

Abstract

It has been said1 that " a child is the sum total of his movements or tendencies to move." Movement follows on muscular contraction resulting from nervous stimula tion, and spasm in ordinary medical parlance is a term used to mean involuntary sustained muscular contraction occurring as an abnormal manifestation. Such spasm may be usefully considered as it discloses itself to the clinician at different sites and in different bodily con ditions. An abnormal condition of neuro-muscular apparatus? for example, spasm?may be produced by a local peri pheral cause, or result from a primary lesion or abnormality of the central nervous system interfering with its function of nervous control. It is not possible, however, to dissociate the mental functions and the functions of