SPIROCHÆTAL FINDINGS IN THE BRAINS OF PARETICS TREATED WITH MALARIA
Nicholas Kopeloff Ph. D.1, and
Nathan Blackman B. S.1
1 Department of Bacteriology, Psychiatric Institute and Hospital, New York City
1. Spirochætes were found by the Jahnel method in the brains of 6 out of 39 malaria treated general paralytics.
2. Among the six positive findings degenerate forms of spirochaætes were encountered in more instances than normal forms. Three of these patients came to autopsy shortly after malarial inoculation (within six weeks).
3. Spirochætes were found by the Jahnel and Dieterle methods in 8 out of 10 general paralytics not treated with malaria and none were found in a normal brain.
4. Having thus established the validity of the technical procedure it may be stated that within the limitations of the material at hand it appears that (a) artificially induced malaria is likely to destroy spirochætes in the brains of general paralytics; or (b) that failing to destroy the spirochæta completely, this form of therapy alters the morphology of the Spiroæta pallida to such a degree as to render it degenerate in appearance.
