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Also known as:
Chorea St. Viti
St. Vitus’ dance
Sydenham’s disease
Sydenham’s syndrome
The disease is named after Thomas Sydenham and so has
no direct connection with Sydenham Town. You can find more on Thomas Sydenham
<here>
Sydenham's Chorea is an infectious disease of the
central nervous system commonly occurring between 5 and 15 years of age, but it
may also occur later in life or be associated with pregnancy (chorea
gravidarum). Affects females about twice as often as males, appearing after a
streptococcal infection, with subsequent rheumatic fever. It may cause valvular
disturbances. It is characterised by involuntary purposeless contractions of
the muscles of the trunk and extremities, initially in one limb; face movements
that simulate smirking expressions, anxiety; impairment of memory and sometimes
of speech. May be associated with emotional instability and inappropriate
behaviour. Movements cease during sleep. Recovery takes place in 2 to 6 months.
Besides in rheumatic fever, it has also been reported in association with
hyperthyroidism, systemic lupus erythematosus and some other common erythemas.
The term Chorea Saint Viti was originally used for
dancing mania, a form of hysteria common in Europe in the 15th and 16th
century. The dancing mania became known as chorea magna, and Sydenham’s
disease as chorea minor – Sydenham’s chorea. This mania had greatly
declined in Sydenham’s time, and it is unlikely that he himself observed
the phenomenon. Paracelsus (Theophrastus Philippus Aureolus Bombastus von
Hohenheim, 1493-1541) probably did, and termed it chorea naturalis.
"This is a kind of convulsion, which attacks boys and
girls from the tenth year to the time of puberty. It first shows itself by
limping or unsteadiness in one of the legs, which the patient drags. The hand
cannot be steady for a moment. It passes from one position to another by a
convulsive movement, however, much the patient may strive to the contrary."
Thomas Sydenham
"Before he can raise a cup to his lips, he makes as
many gesticulations as a mountebank; since he does not move in a straight line,
but has his hand drawn aside by spasms, until by some good fortune he brings it
at last to his mouth. He then gulps it off at once, so suddenly and so greedily
as if he were trying to amuse the lookers-on."
Thomas
Sydenham
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This account is an
edited version reproduced with the kind permission of Whonamedit.com. The full
account can be found <here>
For more about Thomas
Sydenham <go
here> |
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