Document 5D7MNY4NYbyDV3YpXXK71em8R
December 22 , 1930
Yr. Josiah Stryker, Linda miry, Depue and Faulks, Prudential Building, 763 Broad Street, Newark, J .
Dear Mr* Stryker:
In accordance with my telephone conversa
tion of last Wednesday, I am sending you herewith a brief re
port of the examination of Mr,
made with Dr, Deling
at his home on Tuesday, December 16.
The examination was not a3 complete as I should have liked to make it. However, it was entirely satis factory in that it was possible to obtain information suffici ent to guide your activities in his case. By the time we had spent some two or three hours obtaining such information as might hgve been obtained in the case of a normal individual in a third of that time, Mr. Evans was in such a state that one was justified in fearing that he might be greatly upset by a continuation of the examination. Under these conditions I felt it acvlsable to take the information which we had without going further.
By this time I dare say you have had some conversation with Dr. Beling, and I am certain that you may well be guided by what Dr. Beling has said to you. It was a pleasure to me to be associated with him in the examination of this man, and I learned very quickly to have a very great res pect for his human understanding and hi3 clinical judgment.
Report
Mr. V m ^ l s a young man apparently of strong physique, without any obvious evidences of general physical disability. However, one immediately notices a very great nervous irrita bility seen in the almost continuous movement of the hands, the fingers, and the feet. He seems to have a very great diffi culty in restraining himself, and seems on the point of a very strong emotional outburst. His general appearance is that of a man tremendously excited on the slightest provocation, his pupils dilate widely, his muscular movements increase in speed and amplitude,., and his speech becomes that of an individual very much excited. One gains the impression that he is putting
forth a continuous effort to keep down this emotional excit ability, but that he does not succeed In doing so. It Is necessary to continually reassure him and soothe him in or der to get any response to questioning and In order to make any physical observations. Eventually however, he becomes quiet to such an extent that It Is possible to make certain observations for a limited period of time.
The eyes are equal, have a tendency to dilitation,
and respond to light. The movements of the eyes are some
what jerky, but there is no paralysis of the extrinsic-or
intrinsic muscles. The orbital fissure is widened, and there
is a definite lid lag with movements of the eye. The nose
shows a septum deflected to the left, 'with a small nasal
spur* The mucous membrane of the nose is somewhat dry and
bright red, v/ith a considerable amount of mucopurulent secre
tion. The throat is bright red; the tonsils are large, ir
regular and congested, the left one is somewhat scarred, and
both are involved with either a chronic or subacute inflamma
tion. The teeth show several inflamed edges, and there is a
considerable amount of what appears to be bridge,work in the
front upper jaw. The examination of his teeth Is somewhat
unsatisfactory on account of the condition of the patient,
but one Is certain that the teeth in general are in poor con
dition. One suspects that there are a number of devitalized
teeth.
The face Is definitely a-symmetrical due to weakness
of the musculature of the right side. The 3kln is smooth
over the right forehead, strongly creased over the left.
There is a strong tendency for the face to be thrown-into
grimaces, and on the slightest provocation these become
Intense. The musculature^of the neck and of the back Is
flaccid to palpation,
there Is a considerable amount of ^*-- --
^pfjrease In tone more striking on the left than on the right*
The left arm shows a definite decrease of tone of the muscula
ture, ^h i s being seen in the deltoid, triceps and biceps, but
more particularly in the extensor of the fohearm* in the case
of the left arm there is a continual going and coming of tonus.
In the right there is very little tonus at any time. Despite
the subject's right-handedness the right arm is smaller than
the left, especially the fore-arm, and the grip Is very much
reduced* The reflexes are decreased on the right, and in
creased on the left, especially v/ith the periodic heighten
ing of tone. The strength of the right is very greatly di
minished, This same situation prevails but to a mhch lesser
degree in the case of the legs. Reflexes are present and
active in tooth, but comparatively less in the case of the
right. The strength of the right is also diminished, this
resulting In the patient's moving to the right when he at
tempts to walk and suddenly accomodating himself and changing
yi,6 00f<458
his course in order to arrive at a given point. The abdominal reflexes are absent* The cremasteric are present on both sides but more strikingly on the left,
A very casual examination of the chest shows no gross abnormalities* No attempt was made to examine the abdomen and its contents. No urinalysis was made, no blood examination was made*
On the basis of the above observations It is entirely clear that the patient has destructive lesions involving the corpus 3 trlaturn and lenticular nuclei. Further and more care ful examinations may possibly show central nervous system lesions at other points. In any caso the lesions are fairly diffuse in this area. It is probably true also that the corpus callosum is-in some degree involved. A prolonged study v/ould be required to determine the exact extent of the lesions, and also to determine whether or not they are progressive in char acter. From-the patient's history up to the present, I would be led to believe that they are progressive.
In assigning a cause for this condition one i3 present
ed vilth several possibilities. The entire picture may be the
result of Infection. The existence at present of foci of in
fection in the nose and throat suggests this possibility, but
by no means proves it. One does not know how long the present
condition of the nose and throat has been in existence. It
may have antidated his Illness, or it may have been a conse
quence. The possibility of certain poisons being effective
in producing the condition is present. It is possible, but
not likely in my opinion, that the condition might have been
produced as result of lead poisoning. This is not however,
the type of thing which is usually seen following lead encepha
lopathy, There is a fairly frequent association of the condi
tion seen in this man with carbon monoxide poisoning. One
the sequelae of carbon monoxide poisoning which is seen clini
cally and at autopsy, is a digftive lesion affecting he basi
lar nuclei of the brain, which are most concerned In this case.
Whether or not Mr.
had carbon mjanoxide poisoning of a
severe type at any time, or whether he was exposed to suffici
ent concentrations of carbon monoxide ^ver a long period of .
time, I do not know. It is one thing however, which I would
consider in this case, and one which I would investigate.
In any case there is no explanation of the existence of definite lesions of the brain. The origin of these lesions it is Impossible to state on the basis of the present available Information.
HE- 0017459
Discussion
It is my opinion that presentation of the case in court would be followed by a verdict in Mr. flMSpi favor even if only the most casual evidence could be presented on- the relation of his condition to his occupation. In fact his condition will speak for itself in court, and without any attempt on his part he will demonstrate to the court and t o ,the jury a most pitiable condition of illness, which, in my opinion, is more likely to progress than to improve , I should regard his present situation as a perma nent and practically complete disability, and I should be inclined to settle the question of compensation on this basi with due regard for what may be regarded in his state as a proper compensation for such permanent disability.
Very truly yours,
RAK:ST
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