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Mental manifestations accompanying syphilis of the nervous system are not at all pathognomonic, and, indeed, in making the proper diagnosis the somatic background is of great importance. With the aid of the Wassermann reaction and cytological examination our knowledge of the mental pictures in cerebral syphilis has become enriched. Plaut's latest monograph is an excellent contribution to the literature of these disorders. In it he discusses hallucinations in paresis, tabes, and suspicious syphilitic hallucinations in senescence and recognizing two specific types of syphilitic hallucinations: the acute and the chronic.
In the acute form the clinical picture is characterized by anxiety-excitement which develops acutely or sub-acutely. Athough the sensorium is usually clear; slight disturbances in time orientation, subjective feeling of unreality, and perplexity may be occasionally observed. As a rule delusions of persecution were present in all of his cases. In addition depressive ideas of self-reproach were noted. Active auditory hallucinations were manifest. Optic hallucinations in the sense of visual fancy was seen in one instance; in another case olfactory false perceptions were in evidence; and in another one the patient reacted to haptic hallucinations, experiencing electric sensations in the body. Hallucinations usually occurred at the height of the excitement. The underlying mood was one of anxiety which was labile and easily influenced by suggestion. Psychomotor unrest was not very marked except in one case, in which it could be easily controlled. It is interesting to note that the patients exhibited good insight into their condition. Duration of the illness varied between eighteen days and ten months. Recovery was complete and without any appreciable intellectual defect. The Wassermann reaction was positive in all cases and the cerebro-spinal fluid showed some pathological alterations except in one instance. Somatic manifestations of a neurologic background w