Neurosyphilis in interwar period in Lithuania: etiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment methods

Neurosyphilis was an incurable and in most cases fatal disease until the beginning of the antibiotic era. The aim of this paper is to find out how the etiology and clinical symptoms of neurosyphilis were perceived, what diagnostic and treatment methods were used in Lithuania in the interwar period...

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Main Authors: Š. Jukna, E. Sakalauskaitė-Juodeikienė
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Vilnius University Press 2020-12-01
Series:Neurologijos seminarai
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Online Access:https://www.journals.vu.lt/neurologijos_seminarai/article/view/27710
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author Š. Jukna
E. Sakalauskaitė-Juodeikienė
author_facet Š. Jukna
E. Sakalauskaitė-Juodeikienė
author_sort Š. Jukna
collection DOAJ
description Neurosyphilis was an incurable and in most cases fatal disease until the beginning of the antibiotic era. The aim of this paper is to find out how the etiology and clinical symptoms of neurosyphilis were perceived, what diagnostic and treatment methods were used in Lithuania in the interwar period (1920-1939). We analyzed the first scientific medical journal Medicina in Lithuania and Baltic States. The main cause of neurosyphilis in the interwar period was identified as a consequence of untreated or undertreated syphilis. Wasserman, Pandy and Nonne-Apelt globulin reactions, as well as evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid cytosis were the most commonly used laboratory tests to diagnose the disease. Heavy metal therapy (arsenic, bismuth, mercury salts) and fever therapy (injections of the malaria agent, boiled cow’s milk, neobenzinol and pyrifer) were used to treat neurosyphilis in Lithuania in the period of 1920-1939.
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series Neurologijos seminarai
spelling doaj-art-f51cf1455c2846699880d3f478aae7dc2025-01-20T18:22:35ZengVilnius University PressNeurologijos seminarai1392-30642424-59172020-12-01244(86)10.29014/ns.2020.39Neurosyphilis in interwar period in Lithuania: etiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment methodsŠ. Jukna 0E. Sakalauskaitė-Juodeikienė1Vilnius University, LithuaniaVilnius University, Lithuania Neurosyphilis was an incurable and in most cases fatal disease until the beginning of the antibiotic era. The aim of this paper is to find out how the etiology and clinical symptoms of neurosyphilis were perceived, what diagnostic and treatment methods were used in Lithuania in the interwar period (1920-1939). We analyzed the first scientific medical journal Medicina in Lithuania and Baltic States. The main cause of neurosyphilis in the interwar period was identified as a consequence of untreated or undertreated syphilis. Wasserman, Pandy and Nonne-Apelt globulin reactions, as well as evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid cytosis were the most commonly used laboratory tests to diagnose the disease. Heavy metal therapy (arsenic, bismuth, mercury salts) and fever therapy (injections of the malaria agent, boiled cow’s milk, neobenzinol and pyrifer) were used to treat neurosyphilis in Lithuania in the period of 1920-1939. https://www.journals.vu.lt/neurologijos_seminarai/article/view/27710neurosyphilissalvarsanfever therapymalariajournal Medicinainterwar period
spellingShingle Š. Jukna
E. Sakalauskaitė-Juodeikienė
Neurosyphilis in interwar period in Lithuania: etiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment methods
Neurologijos seminarai
neurosyphilis
salvarsan
fever therapy
malaria
journal Medicina
interwar period
title Neurosyphilis in interwar period in Lithuania: etiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment methods
title_full Neurosyphilis in interwar period in Lithuania: etiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment methods
title_fullStr Neurosyphilis in interwar period in Lithuania: etiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment methods
title_full_unstemmed Neurosyphilis in interwar period in Lithuania: etiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment methods
title_short Neurosyphilis in interwar period in Lithuania: etiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment methods
title_sort neurosyphilis in interwar period in lithuania etiology symptoms diagnosis and treatment methods
topic neurosyphilis
salvarsan
fever therapy
malaria
journal Medicina
interwar period
url https://www.journals.vu.lt/neurologijos_seminarai/article/view/27710
work_keys_str_mv AT sjukna neurosyphilisininterwarperiodinlithuaniaetiologysymptomsdiagnosisandtreatmentmethods
AT esakalauskaitejuodeikiene neurosyphilisininterwarperiodinlithuaniaetiologysymptomsdiagnosisandtreatmentmethods