Subnormal Body Temperatures in Wernicke's Encephalopathy

THE CLINICAL features of Wernicke's encephalopathy include a wide spectrum of symptoms and signs. In several reports¹⁻⁷since 1941, based on relatively large numbers of cases, disturbances of consciousness, ocular abnormalities, and ataxia were the most frequent findings. It has been pointed out, however, that all signs of this "classical triad" rarely occur in a single patient,³,⁶and that the diagnosis cannot be established during life if eye findings are absent.⁵In this communication, we draw attention to the presence of subnormal body temperatures in Wernicke's disease. While hypothermia has been described in case reports,²,⁸⁻¹³and neurology texts¹⁴⁻¹⁶dealing with this disorder, the frequency of occurrence and significance of this symptom have not been discussed in detail. unresponsive state. A history was obtained from his stepson and the landlord who stated that the patient was always somewhat of a recluse. However, two weeks prior