John A. Abbott

The Serious Side Effects of the Newer Antiepileptic Drugs: Their Control and Prevention

THIS paper reviews the dangerous as opposed to the relatively benign toxic side effects of Tridione, Paradione, Mesantoin and Phenurone, and proposes a procedure for the administration of these dru...

The electroencephalogram in cases of subdural hematoma and hydroma

Abstract The EEG findings in 32 patients with subdural effusion are reported. Twenty-four of these were unilateral subdural hematomas, 4 were bilateral hematomas, and 4 were unilateral hydromas. The EEG abnormalities were of two types: (A) suppression of alpha activity on the side of the lesion in 13 of the 24 unilateral hematomas and in 2 of the unilateral hydromas; (B) slow wave activity of either low or increased voltage, which occurred in 11 of the unilateral lesions and 3 of the bilateral ones. The slow activity characteristically was irregular, from 1 to 5 per sec. and non-paroxysmal in character. Suppression of alpha activity was a specific effect and was best demonstrated between electrodes closely spaced in an anterior-posterior line. In 5 anteriorly placed hematomas suppression of alpha activity was encountered. Spiking did not occur; and sharp waves were rare. The EEG gave a correct lateralization in 75 per cent of the cases and a correct localization on the side indicated in 47 per cent. The EEG did not distinguish between unilateral and bilateral subdural accumulations. Only 4 per cent of the group showed normal EEGs with subdural hematoms; whereas EEGs from 2 of the 4 patients with unilateral hydromas were normal. A total figure of 90 per cent abnormality was encountered in the entire group. The data reported agree very well with other reviews and cases reports in the literature.

Problems in the clinical evaluation in the use of anticonvulsants.

In its earliest years, Dr. William G. Lennox and others associated with him in the American League against Epilepsy did a great deal to stimulate the development of the clinic. It is a pleasure to think especially of the gratification which he must feel as we report the really impressive improvement in the medical control of epilepsy – an improvement which has occurred in the brief twenty years of the Clinics activity – and an improvement to which the Clinic which he encouraged has contributed significantly.