Chronic Epidemic Encephalitis

The following report of a case of epidemic encephalitis representing both clinical and anatomic examinations is of particular interest because of the persisting inflammatory brain changes after fourteen months, and also because complaints of abdominal pain, muscle spasm and gastric distress thought to be due to local causes ultimately led to an exploratory laparotomy. This exploration revealed no pathologic condition to account satisfactorily for the abdominal symptoms, and the final analysis of the case explained these symptoms as being due to brain lesions. CLINICAL REPORT BY DR. SCHALLER History. —K. G., dispensary number 91724, aged 42, an American laborer (harvest hand), was admitted to the clinical ward of Lane Hospital on Jan. 3, 1921. He complained principally of abdominal pain, but other complaints were: headache, burning pain in the back and legs, soreness over the lower part of the chest, numbness and weakness of the right arm, hoarseness and difficulty