Degenerative diseases of the central nervous system transmissible to experimental animals

The clinical features and the pathological changes in the central nervous system of scrapie and kuru are described and attention is drawn to the similarities between these conditions. In both, inoculation of tissues into experimental animals reproduces a similar disease after a prolonged latent period.

The transmission of subacute presenile polioencephalopathy to a chimpanzee is noted.

The work which led to the discovery of the transmissibility of these conditions is mentioned.

Penicillin encephalopathy

Five patients who developed characteristic myoclonic twitching, drowsiness and convulsions due to intravenous penicillin and cloxacillin are described. Three had poor renal function. Twenty-three reported cases of penicillin encephalopathy are reviewed and the aetiology of the syndrome is discussed.