Paraplegia Due to Paget's Disease (Osteitis Deformans)

A woman aged 64 was admitted to Dunedin Hospital on January 21, 1952. Three and a half years ago she had begun to notice a nagging pain in the small of her back. This was followed by increasing pain in the hips and knees. About a year ago she had had burning pains in both legs, and her feet had felt numb and lifeless. Walking had become difficult, and eventually she had had to use two sticks. For a year her balance had been bad and she had had numerous falls, in spite of the sticks. She had not noticed that her legs were really weak until six months ago, when she found that she could not lift them up to get into a motor-car. Her left leg had had spasms, when it would cross over the right. She had had increasing trouble with her micturition for six months. Sometimes her water ran away without control and at other times she had great difficulty in passing it. At the time of admission she was getting about the house with difficulty. She had consulted Sir Robert Jones for bow legs at the age of 13.