A Case of Progressive Muscular Atrophy

neuralgic pains or tingling sensation. Soon the ball of the thumb became wasted. Movements of the fingers became impaired. Could not perform any delicate work requiring the use of fingers. The fingers became bent like " bird's claw." The left hand soon became implicated. Within a month the legs became affected. Other muscles of the body gradually became affected too. There was a constant feeling of weight and heaviness over the chest, specially when lying down, probably due to the wasting of intercostals. Four months after he was admitted into the Medical College Hospital under the care of Dr. Birch. He " walked from the Howrah station to the Hospital." During his stay in hospital (for a fortnight only) he became rapidly worse. Lost power over his legs, so that he could not walk without help. At home he became worse still and could no longer stand. No atrophy of the muscles of the face. Fibrillary twitchings were noticed in the early part of the disease, becoming marked on exertion or by a blast of cold. Bladder and rectum were unaffected.