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A Symptom of Concussion of the Spinal Cord

MAJOR KENNETH H. ABBOTT

Arch Neurol Psychiatry. 1947;57(2):220-227.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

IT HAS been common practice to include all the injuries to the spinal cord arising out of indirect violence in the one term "spinal concussion." For the purpose of this paper, the more definite term "concussion of the spinal cord" seems better and will be used. It signifies the presence in the spinal cord of a physiologic state similar to that in the cerebrum when the term "cerebral concussion" is used. In concussion of the spinal cord a transitory functional, and perhaps structural, disturbance of the spinal cord is incurred consequent to indirect trauma to the cord. This definition emphasizes the functional reversibility of the injury to the cord and makes it evident that recovery occurs in a relatively short time, that is, from a few hours to a few days. The reports in the literature and my experience in World War II indicate that functional recovery should occur in . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
MEDICAL CORPS, ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES

Footnotes
Dr. Abbott has received his discharge from the service and is now located in Rochester, Minn.