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On Aphasia, or Loss of Speech in Cerebral Disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2018

Frederic Bateman*
Affiliation:
Norfolk and Norwich Hospital

Extract

In the preceding papers I have endeavoured to review what is at present known of the clinical history of aphasia; having first ventured critically to analyse a certain number of cases recorded by independent observers in various parts of the world, I have then minutely detailed several cases which I have myself had the opportunity of personally watching.

Type
Part I.—Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1869 

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References

“Analyse de la Parole pour servir à la théorie de divers cas d'Alalie et de Paralalia.” 1848.Google Scholar

This word occurs twice in Homer; Iliad xvii., 695; and Odyss. iv, 704; the text being precisely the same in both instanoes—“ ” here speechlessness from emotional causes is evidently implied.Google Scholar

Dr Popham, of Ck)rk, considers that of all the words in the Greek language denoting modes of speech, the verb applies more than any of the others to the formation by the tongue of articulate sounds. The substantive is usedfy Hippocrates, and the privative word would express an inability to enunciate syllables. He also thinks that the English word aphthenxia is as euphonious as many other derivations from the Greek.—Dublin Quarterly Journal, Nov., 1865Google Scholar

“Sur le Siège de la Faculté du Langage Articulé,” p. 4.Google Scholar

“Gazette Hebdomaire,” 1864.Google Scholar

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St. George's Hospital Reports, Vol. 2, 1867, p 93.Google Scholar

One of the most interesting features of this meeting-at all events, to the medical profession-was the discussion which followed the reading of papers on Aphasia by Dr. Hughlings Jackson, Mr. Dunn, and M. Broca. The learned Parisian Professor, with great force and eloquence, expounded before a British audience, his own peculiar views as to the seat of speech, illustrating his remarks by a coloured diagram, and a plaster cast. A most animated debate ensued, in which Professor Hughes Bennett, Professor Humphry, Dr. Crisp, Sir Duncan Gibb, Professor Carl Vogt, and others took a part. It may be said of this discussion-Tat homines tot sent entier.Google Scholar

“On the Loss of the Faculty of Speech.” Dublin Journal of Medical Science, Nov., 1833. This, after Crichton's, is one of the earliest memoirs on our subject which have come under my notice, and contains several highly interesting and well recorded cases.Google Scholar

Gazette des Hôpitaux, May 27,1865. At the autopRy of this patient, M. Piorry found in the anterior part of the left corpus striatum three apoplectic cysts.Google Scholar

“Edinburgh Medical Journal,” February, 1867.Google Scholar

“An Inquiry into Mental Derangement,” Vol. i., p, 373.Google Scholar

“Le Cervean et la Pensée par Paul Janet. Membre de l'Institut.” p. 140. This highly philosophical treatise contains much original matter, and is well worthy of a careful perusal by all medical psychologists who are endeavouring to trace the connexion between thought and speech.Google Scholar

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“On Aphasia and the education of the Cerebro-Spinal Centres.” Med. Times, January 18th, 1868-“When paralysis exists, we believe that some portion of the motor tract must be affected, and that this need not arise from a local lesion of the cortical substance; consequently it might be thought possible for hemiplegia to occur without loss of speech and vice oersa, but I cannot find this is the case.” Further on, Dr. Wilks says, “believing as I do that aphasia is almost invariably found with hemiplegia.” It is with great diffidence that I venture to criticise the opinion of so eminent an authority as Dr. Wilks; but the above statement is so utterly at variance with my own experience, that I cannot allow it to pass un-noticed.Google Scholar

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The details of this case are given at great length by M. de Font-Réaulx in his thesis for the Doctorate at the Faculty of Medicine of Paris, 1866. It seems that the localization of the faculty of speech has been a subject frequently selected of late for a thesis by graduates of the Paris Faculty. Among the most remarkable, I would mention those of M. de Font-Reaulx and of M. Carrier, both of which have furnished me with interesting matter.Google Scholar

“Clinique Médicale, torn, j., p. 615.”Google Scholar

St. Georges Hosp. Kep., Voi. 2, 1867,p. 100.Google Scholar

Sir Thomas Watson has kindly communicated to me the particulars of a case of dextral paralysis, with not only loss of the power of speaking and writing, but the patient had forgotten her letters, and could not pick out an s or and in a child's alphabet. This I believe to be an unusual condition, for in most cases the symbol representing a word is recognized when put before the patient; that is when, as in Sir T. Watson's case, the intelligence is unaffected.Google Scholar

De Font-Réaulx, op. cit. p 57.Google Scholar

“Diseases of the Nervous System,” Dr. Sieveking's Translation. Vol ii, p. 431.Google Scholar

This language of physiognomy has not been sufficiently considered by writers on the localisation of the cerebral faculties. ThiB subject is fully developed by M. Albert Lemoine in his philosophical treatise entitled La Physionomie et la Parole, Paris, 1865.Google Scholar

“On the Function of Articulate Speech,” p. 14.Google Scholar

London Hospital Reports, Vol. i, p. 454.Google Scholar

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Op. T. Willis, M.D., De Paralysi, De animi Brutorum, eap. ix, p. 149.Google Scholar

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