An Atypical Case of Acute Febrile Polyneuritis (Syndrome of Guillain and Barre)

ACUTE Febrile Polyneuritis is a rare disease which may occur sporadically at any time. The disease was first described by Osler in 1893. Subsequently cases were observed by Gullain and Barre amongst troops during the first world war, 1916 ; Patrick, 1916 ; Holmes, 1917 ; Bradford, Bashford and Wilson, 1918; Yudelson, 1927 ; Viets, 1927 ; Patten, 1928 ; and others. The neuritis is supposed to be caused by the toxin of an infection, the toxin having a predilection for the lower motor neurones. Acute febrile polynenritis is distinguished from other forms of Polyneuritis by the following features.