SIGNS OF MENINGEAL IRRITATION
SINCE Kernig's description1 in 1907 of a localized sign pointing to meningeal disease, there has been a constantly increasing body of knowledge concerning such phenomena. It was evidently Kernig's early belief that the "leg sign" which he first described was a specific finding for epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis. This early belief was, of course, unfounded, and Kernig later corrected his statement, since the reaction is present in many other varieties of meningeal irritation. Many different, but related, signs of meningeal irritation have since been described, although none is of greater clinical importance than the Kernig leg sign. The purpose of this presentation is to point out the modification of the meningeal sign which frequently occurs when hemiparesis and meningeal irritation are present concomitantly. The recognition of this modification is of clinical importance, as will be shown. In addition, a study of the modification sheds further light