RIO DE JANEIRO

Polyneuritis After the Use of Emetine and Bismuth  Professor Garfield de Almeida reported three cases from his individual practice before the Academy of Medicine in which polyneuritis had occurred after the use of a bismuth preparation. He summarized his observations in each case: The first case was in a man, aged about 50, who suffered a subacute attack of amebic dysentery. After thirty injections of emetine hydrochloride, a total of 168 Gm., had been administered over a period of forty-five days, Professor de Almeida was called in consultation, and then was asked to take the responsibility of caring for the patient. At the time, the patient had an aortitis with slight cylindric vascular dilatation, and during the next month a marked physical depression appeared and became more and more intensified. Examination revealed polyneuritis of a sensorimotor type which predominated in the lower extremities and was characterized by incomplete paralysis of