Case 50-1966

Presentation of Case A seventeen-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of hemiparesis. She had been well until twelve days previously, in the thirtieth week of an uneventful first pregnancy, when severe weakness developed, followed by unresponsiveness. She was taken to another hospital, where examination disclosed hyperactive and symmetrical tendon reflexes and bilateral ankle clonus. The hemoglobin was 4.4 gm. per 100 ml.; marked anisocytosis, poikilocytosis, polychromatophilia and macrocytosis were found on the blood smear. Urinalysis disclosed numerous white cells. A lumbar puncture was reported to be negative. Four units of whole blood were transfused, with a return of . . .