Staphylococcic Meningitis From Hippocrates to Legendre and Beaussenat: A Mortal Disease

Abstract

Staphylococcic meningitis is a disease of such malignancy that every carefully observed case terminating in recovery should be fully reported to aid in the care of future victims of this malady. We intend to present the records of a considerable number of patients who have suffered from this disease, including several who survived. These are patients who have received our bacteriophage service during the last ten years. Before proceeding to the discussion of our own experience in this field we purpose to undertake a review of the more significant recorded observations from the time when drying of the spinal marrow and accumulation of bile were regarded as the causes of spasms and paralysis, through the period when purulent exudate in the membranous coverings of the brain and cord was recognized as a feature of these disorders and the later period, when the infectious activity of specific microbes came to be appreciated in the causation, to the modern era, in which precise recognition of the etiologic agent, be it spirochete, mycobacterium, neisseria, streptococcus, staphylococcus or filtrable virus, supplies the most significant evidence on which to base prognosis and therapy.Throughout the review an attempt will be made to focus the attention on staphylococcic meningitis, more or less definitely recognizable as such, and in the later years to give attention particularly to the examples of recovery.The signs and symptoms of meningitis can be recognized only with difficulty in the descriptive writings of Hippocrates, where passages which may relate to meningitis are obscured by association with descrip¬ tions of signs which are obviously unrelated, such as the following:The third form of consumption. In this form the patient's spinal marrow becomes full of blood and bile. Likewise he wastes away also from the hollow veins,

Staphylococcus aureus meningitis in children: a review of 30 community-acquired cases

“…The first proved case of staphylococcal meningitis was described by Galippe in 1889, following suppuration of the lower jaw with multiple fistulous tracts, developed in a man aged 23 who had a large impacted wisdom tooth 21 . In 1892, Anthony reported the first "cryptogenic staphylococcal meningitis" in a robust soldier aged 23 21 (27) 23 , in an review of the specialised literature, found forty additional cases from 1941 to 1948.…”

“…In 1892, Anthony reported the first "cryptogenic staphylococcal meningitis" in a robust soldier aged 23 21 (27) 23 , in an review of the specialised literature, found forty additional cases from 1941 to 1948.…”