ascorbic-acid and Poliomyelitis

A four-year-old male child was reported with sudden inability to stand walk of 10 days duration. Acute paralytic poliomyelitis was diagnosed in the presence of fever, respiratory infection, muscle tenderness, and weakness in lower extremity in an unimmunized child. Reevaluation after a week showed swelling, thickening, and tenderness of left femur. Plain x-ray of the left thigh was advised to exclude underlying osteomyelitis of the femur. X-ray showed features of scurvy. The child responded well to parenteral vitamin C therapy and resumed normal walking with in two weeks. Scurvy can present as pseudoparalysis of acute onset without any other signs even in older children. It emphasized the need for an index of suspicion of scurvy in a case of suspected paralysis. Dramatic response to vitamin C therapy can be used to confirm the diagnosis in the absence of laboratory support. Health education can be accelerated to prevent a disease like scurvy.

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Knee; Male; Paralysis; Poliomyelitis; Radiography; Scurvy

A certain amount of resistance to new ideas is normal and functional in science providing the innovations have a means of being tested. A number of differences between medicine and pure science are noted which can result in some medical innovations being ignored or rejected without an adequate assessment. Historical and current instances of resistance to innovation are given. Social-organizational factors in medicine appear to favor the acceptance of theoretically glamorous, pharmaceutical, and high technology innovations over simpler and less profitable ones.

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Communication; Diffusion of Innovation; Female; Food Hypersensitivity; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century; Humans; Medicine; Neoplasms; Poliomyelitis; Pregnancy; Puerperal Infection; Sociology, Medical; Therapeutics

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Humans; Poliomyelitis; Poliovirus Vaccines; Vaccination

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Catalysis; Copper; Enterovirus C, Human; Free Radicals; Hydrogen Peroxide; Hydroxyl Radical; Iron; Poliomyelitis; Poliovirus

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Free Radicals; Hydrogen Peroxide; Hydroxyl Radical; Poliomyelitis; Poliovirus; Vitamins

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Carbohydrate Metabolism; Child; Humans; Poliomyelitis; Vitamins

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Flavonoids; Hesperidin; Muscle Cramp; Nutrition Therapy; Poliomyelitis; Vitamins

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Disease Management; Flavones; Hesperidin; Poliomyelitis; Vitamins

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Humans; Poliomyelitis; Vitamins

Topics: Administration, Intravenous; Ascorbic Acid; Blood; Cerebrospinal Fluid; Humans; Poliomyelitis; Vitamins

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Epidemics; Humans; Poliomyelitis; Vitamins

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Massage; Poliomyelitis; Thiamine; Vitamins

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Poliomyelitis; Vitamins

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Infections; Poliomyelitis; Virus Diseases; Viruses; Vitamins