Syphilis was contracted fifteen years before the first traceable symptoms of ataxia, which had shown themselves after an attack of grippe, in 1890, in sudden remittent paralysis of the external muscles of the right eye, followed within a few months by gastric crises, general lightning pains appearing a few months later.

During the two years succeeding he was drenched with drugs and grew steadily worse.

When admitted to the hospital in 1892 he was very ataxic in the legs, suffered greatly from gastric and other pains, difficulties with bladder and rectum, loss of sexual power, various anaesthetic areas, could not stand with eyes open unless he had help, total loss of knee-jerk, paralysis of right rectus, indigestion from the irritation of the stomach from medicines as well as from the disease, and, though muscular and over-fat, was flabby and pallid.

He had no ataxia or loss of sensibility in the upper half of the body.

He was in bed for two weeks, on milk diet, with warm baths and massage.