The literature on circumscribed suppurative conditions of the spinal cord is meager. Either local suppuration of the spinal cord and meninges is exceedingly rare, or else the condition is seldom seen at a time when a diagnosis is possible. From our review of the literature, however, it seems likely that circumscribed purulent conditions of the spinal cord and the meninges probably are more frequent than supposed. There are undoubtedly some cases of lowly virulent infection which are not recognized during the acute stage. Some cases progress to a chronic myelitis or to formation of cysts of the leptomeninges and at times syndromes of tumor of the cord occur. The more acute fulminating cases lead to death. A few of these have been recognized at necropsy.
REPORT OF CASE
Clinical History.
—F. S., a man, aged 32, whose family and past history were unimportant, was first seen Oct. 7, 1926. He