Additional case of Marchiafava‐Bignami disease

To the Editor: Drs. Koeppen and Barron LVc~uri~10g.v 283290-294, 19781 indicated that there are four reported North Americans with Marchiafava-Bignami disease who are not of Italian origin or ancestry. They overlooked our report of Marchiafava-Bignami disease in a 54-year-old Black man. H e had demyelinating lesions involving the anterior-dorsal rostrum of the corpus callosum and symmetric bilateral demyelination of the centrum semiovale. This patient also had changes in mamillary bodies indicating co-existence of Wernicke encephalopathy. Additional information, not contained in the original report, indicates that our patient was employed as a bartender at a country club. He apparently regularly consumed hard liquors, occasional beer, and apparently never drank wine. In view of only a few documented cases of MarchiafavaBignami disease occurring e i ther in Blacks o r in individuals who do not drink wine, this case should be brought to the attention of the readers. The enclosed figure would document this case further since the original report was not illustrated.