Psychic disturbances in typhus fever

Summary

This paper deals with the most interesting of the psychic disturbances observed in 430 cases of typhus seen during two great epidemics in eastern Europe in the years 1941 and 1945. These mental disorders accompanied the disease from the prodromal stage through the peak and decrudescence, through convalescence and even later. There were observed, especially at the beginning of the disease as well as at its height, varying degrees of confusion, disturbances of speech, “double image” illusion, different types of delirium (simple and “oneiric”), manic conditions, hallucinosis, different degrees of “amentia,” the Korsakoff syndrome and others. The “double image” syndrome and the “oneiric” delirium were experienced by the author himself, while he was ill with the disease. Observations during convalescence included: abulia, so-called “sexual anesthesia,” proprioceptive disturbances, speech disorders and hypoacusis. Three cases of “residual insanity” have been described in another published paper. In 25 cases, clinical syndromes were observed which were probably due to conditions of acute hypoglycemia or adrenal insufficiency.

A statistical survey is presented in which an attempt is made to correlate prognosis with mental symptoms.