History of myasthenia gravis

History of myasthenia gravis is rich in discovery and early descriptions of this . The earliest known recordings are by Thomas Willis in 1672 when he wrote about a woman who temporarily lost the ability to speak. Since that time this description has been interpreted as the first written description of myasthenia gravis.

Another early description may have been of a captured Indian chief in 1644 whose description of his condition included the inability to walk and sometimes even open his eyes. After resting for a period of time in captivity he was then able to get up and stand. The clinical features of extremity weakness and eyelid weakness are consistent with myasthenia gravis especially considering that he was able to improve after rest.

Descriptions of this disease continue to show up in the literature in both American writing as well as a Russian physicians and German neurologists. Russian physicians described a progressive familial disorder which included involvement of both the eyes and extremities. German physician Heinrich Erb described symptoms which appeared to be myasthenic in nature in 1878 and a Swiss physiologist included his descriptions in 1892.

The first successful treatment for myasthenia gravis was recorded in 1934 by Mary Broadfoot Walker. Walker was born in Scotland and became an assistant medical officer in 1920. According documentation from Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, Mary Walker surmised that since myasthenia gravis had symptoms much like curare poisoning the antidote for curare, Physostigmine, might help. The effects were instantaneous and Dr. Walker was credited with the find today.

However,the results were met with skepticism because of the rapidity with which the symptoms improved. Then in 1938 demonstrations helped her reputation and subsequent published opinions were favorable. In a paper written by A.H.Keeney and V.T. Keeney in 1997 they stated about Mary Broadfoot Walker \”She is credited with making the most significant discovery and medical therapeutic with in the British Empire.\”

At the same time in history, Sir Henry Dale describes the actions of acetylcholine and the applications of drugs that block the and somatic destruction of acetylcholine and they are in fact on patients with myasthenia gravis. She shared a Nobel Prize in 1936 and was knighted in 1932.

In 1901 Dr. Carel Weigert, a German pathologist and histologist, was credited with drawing attention to the relationship between hypertrophy of the thymus in the development of myasthenia gravis.

Another female physician, Dr. Harriet Edgeworth, an American biochemist, discovered the beneficial effects of the center and upon myasthenia gravis in 1930. She noticed the first symptoms in 1918 in herself while she was employed as a chemist. Over the following years her symptoms worsened until 1925 when she was hospitalized and the diagnosis was confirmed. In the summer of 1929 while taking tablets containing an eighth of a gram of amidopryrine she noticed a surprising improvement. This medication was being taken for another reason.

Research and work with individuals who have myasthenia gravis has continued up to this day. Today research continues that most major universities in order to find both causative agents for myasthenia gravis and ways in which more effective treatments can decrease the risks of myasthenic crisis for patients.

RESOURCES

Neuromuscular Disorders: Early History of Myasthenia Gravis

Cambridge Journals of Medical History: The History of Myasthenia Gravis

New ENgland Journal of Medicine: Myasthenia Gravis An Illustrated History

Seminars in Neurology: A History of Treatment of Myasthenia Gravis

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