Adolph died in an insane asylum of syphilis which he probably contracted 10 or more years before his death. This is a description of the disease: General paralysis of the insane, a syndrome of mental disorder and weakness occurring in tertiary syphilis, is also known as dementia paralytica, Bayle disease, parenchymal syphilis and symptomatic neurosyphilis. It is a rare disease in western general adult psychiatry these days but, at the height of its powers, it is thought that it accounted for up to 20% of patients in asylums. The onset of GPI is usually gradual with depression as the dominant symptom. There is then a slowly progressive memory and intellectual impairment. Frontal lobes are particularly involved, resulting in characteristic personality change with disinhibition, uncontrolled excitement and over activity which may be mistaken for hypomania. Grandiose delusions are present in 10%. Physically there is slurred speech, a tremor of the lips and tongue, and Argyll Robinson pupil** in 50%. As the condition progresses there is increased leg weakness leading to spastic paralysis. Patients become completely incapacitated, bedridden, and die, the process taking about three to five years on average.
He was a machinist and had one child, Walter Edward Schulz with Anna (maiden name Osterberg). His parents were William (a tailor) and Sophia Schulz - both born in Germany.
He was a machinist and had one child, Walter Edward Schulz with Anna (maiden name Osterberg). His parents were William (a tailor) and Sophia Schulz - both born in Germany.
Adolph died in an insane asylum of syphilis which he probably contracted 10 or more years before his death. This is a description of the disease: General paralysis of the insane, a syndrome of mental disorder and weakness occurring in tertiary syphilis, is also known as dementia paralytica, Bayle disease, parenchymal syphilis and symptomatic neurosyphilis. It is a rare disease in western general adult psychiatry these days but, at the height of its powers, it is thought that it accounted for up to 20% of patients in asylums. The onset of GPI is usually gradual with depression as the dominant symptom. There is then a slowly progressive memory and intellectual impairment. Frontal lobes are particularly involved, resulting in characteristic personality change with disinhibition, uncontrolled excitement and over activity which may be mistaken for hypomania. Grandiose delusions are present in 10%. Physically there is slurred speech, a tremor of the lips and tongue, and Argyll Robinson pupil** in 50%. As the condition progresses there is increased leg weakness leading to spastic paralysis. Patients become completely incapacitated, bedridden, and die, the process taking about three to five years on average.
He was a machinist and had one child, Walter Edward Schulz with Anna (maiden name Osterberg). His parents were William (a tailor) and Sophia Schulz - both born in Germany.
He was a machinist and had one child, Walter Edward Schulz with Anna (maiden name Osterberg). His parents were William (a tailor) and Sophia Schulz - both born in Germany.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
