4/26/43 Information regarding [
2999] ..., Mass., written
by his mother:
[
2999] was born at the ... Hospital, Brockton, Massachusetts
on April 28, 1942 at 5:47 A.M., E.W.T. He weighed only four
pounds 15 ounces at birth although he was a full term baby.
I am told he was born without the use of instruments. He
lost three ounces shortly after birth, but thrived after
being put on the breast and after that always showed a gain.
He was quite yellow while in the hospital and had what the
nurse termed "milk breast' - both conditions she assured me
were quite common.
When we came home at the end of two weeks he weighed five
pounds eight ounces. He had extra feedings (breast milk)
and on his own accord stopped the 2 A.M. feeding - sleeping
through till 6 A.M. He was a good baby although he never
slept a great deal during the day, even when he was very
young. But he always slept the whole night through and never
caused any bother in this respect. At the age of one month
I brought him to the hospital for his final examination and,
after giving minor instructions, Dr. Fuller said he was all
right. When he was two months old he weighed ten pounds.
At a very early age he started to notice things and everybody
said how bright he was. If I put a red bow in my hair
he would look at it and smile at me. He would lie in his
carriage and move his fingers in the sunlight. He had his
daily sunbath and his little body got as brown as a berry.
He started to eat cereal and strained foods.
When he was only three months old I left him unclothed on
my bed (which is quite high) and he fell onto the hardwood
floor. He screamed so hard I rushed in and picked him up not
noticing just how he fell. Shortly afterwards he was tipped
out of his carriage but this time he was fully clothed and
fell on the grass. My niece, only two years old, did this.
She also hit him with a toy, on the head, one day when he was
placed in her crib. At the times these things happened,
it did not seem to cause any ill effects. About the same
time he got two very bad bites on his face - from insects,
I presume. These turned purplish-blue, were hard, and
stayed a long time.
About the first week in September, when my sister was
visiting (she has three children of her own), while she was
holding Baby [
2999] she said that his back seemed to bother
him and he didn't seem to like to be held a certain way.
He had seemed fussy but I thought he was probably teething.
He was eating well and gaining weight. Finally he became
so fussy (quite unlike himself) that I brought him to Dr.
Thompson in Randolph on September 14. The baby cut up
terribly while the doctor examined him. He told me he did
not like the way he acted and that I should bring him into
the Children's Hospital in Boston. He thought there was
something wrong with his brain. As my cousin at that time
worked in the Children's Hospital she made an appointment
for Wednesday, September 16, in the Outpatient Department.
I do not recall the name of the doctor who examined the baby
but he was an older man who really seemed awfully fond of
children. While he was questioning me the baby was talking
too and the doctor would stop and answer him just as though
he knew what the baby was saying.
The doctor gave the baby a most thorough examination. I told
him about the falls and although he said he did not believe
any damage had been done, as long as the baby was there they
might as well take x-rays and made sure. He said for me
to continue as I had been doing and to nurse him until he
was seven months old, if I could. He said the baby was
"hypertonic" and would do things younger than most children
The x-rays were taken and the hospital informed me that they
showed the baby to be all right. Of course I was greatly
relieved. After that he seemed to be not quite so fussy - in
fact was very good. Every day he would do something new. I
used to wonder what he would be doing the next day. It was
so much fun to watch him.
On Friday, September 25 I developed a bad cold so wore a mask
when feeding little [
2999]. He ate well but did not seem
to notice things, although when he had gone to bed the
night before he was smiling and happy. On Saturday I became
alarmed because his eyes seemed fixed in one position and
he did not respond when spoken to. Before that he was very
responsive. If I laughed we would laugh, and if I cried
(which wasn't often) he would too. I told my mother and
my husband that I thought something was wrong with the baby
but they both said he was all right - he had probably eaten
too much. Both Mother and my husband left in the early
afternoon. The baby nursed good at 2 o'clock. The rest of
the afternoon he just lay there with his eyes wide open not
noticing anything. His hands and feet started to shake. I
became frightened. I knew that Dr. Thompson had got married
that morning and would not be available, so called an old
doctor who lives on our street. He did not seem to know much
about babies, touched the baby very gingerly and said he had
a convulsion and to give him some medicine he made up and the
baby would be all right in 48 hours. He also said to give
him a warm bath. Instead of reassuring me I felt more
desperate. My neighbor, who had been a nurse, was there
while the old doctor was examining the baby and felt he was
incompetent. The bath did not help the baby and he was still
in this strange condition so I called another doctor and my
mother. My mother said she thought the baby had pneumonia.
When Dr. Cross came he examined the baby and said to rush him
into the Children's Hospital at once. He was very evasive
with me but he told the former nurse he thought the baby
had spinal meningitis. He told me not to tell the hospital
authorities that I had had a doctor examine the baby as that
would mean too much red tape and the baby's condition was too
serious to warrant any delay.
We arrived at the hospital about 10:15. All the way in I
could feel his little body just burning up and he would throw
up his arms as though seeking air. Dr. Latham examined the
baby upon arrival with all sorts of instruments, etc. and
said that as far as he could tell the baby had a case of
pneumonia and if nothing further developed he could be
home in two weeks.
When we called the hospital on Sunday and Monday the news was
favorable. But when I called Tuesday night, the doctor told
me that the baby had had a convulsion at 11 A.M., and they
did not know what this meant. After that the news became
increasingly worse. They (every?) night I called the doctor
would tell me that the baby had had convulsions. When I saw
him on visiting day (Saturday) he did not look like my baby.
They had tried to find out what was wrong and had shaved the
baby's head in certain places and I also noticed tiny red
marks as though they had stuck needles in his head. The
doctor said they were doing everything they could but they
thought maybe this trouble was caused at birth - or before.
Naturally I was very much upset at this news and rushed up to
Brockton to Dr. Fuller. I had the office assistant get out
my records as well as the baby's. Dr. Fuller looked at them
and said that nothing had happened before or at the baby's
birth. My pregnancy had been uneventful, I had not fallen
and I had tried to follow the doctor's advice in all ways as
this was my first baby and I was 35 years old. I felt better
after talking with Dr. Fuller and when I talked with the
infants' doctor at the Children's Hospital that night I told
him what Dr. Fuller had said. He said that both my husband
and I could come in to see the baby the next day even though
it was not a regular visiting day. We went in the following
morning and saw the baby being fed his cereal - he was very
intent on being fed and that was all. The doctors told us
they did not know what else they could do and put the baby's
name on the danger list - although they told us he was not
in immediate danger but did so just so that we could see him
when we felt like it.
I went in almost every day to see him but he did not know me.
The news became worse. They would take an air encephalogram
if the baby grew stronger. By the middle of October they did
not know if he would live from day to day. His temperature
was high, sometimes he would not eat and they fed him
intravenously, and other times he would vomit violently.
These bad spells after a while seemed to be in cycles so the
doctors said when he had a good spell they would do the air
encephalogram with our permission. They said it would do no
harm so we consented. They said they hoped to find a tumor
on the brain or something that would enable them to operate.
But the news they gave us was most discouraging. They said
the ventricles of his brain were enlarged and there was
nothing more they could do. They advised us to put him in a
state hospital where they handled cases of this kind and to
have another baby as soon as possible. They said he would
not live beyond two years. Then they said they would have a
neurologist look at him and see if he advised an operation.
But the neurologist said no as they would not know where to
operate. On the discharge blank, under Diagnosis was written
ENCEPHALOGY.
On November 18 we brought the baby home. His temperature on
leaving the hospital was 102 but Dr. Berenberg (the infant's
doctor who discharged him said that we must expect high
temperatures and vomiting. He said if the baby got in need
of oxygen or should have a lobar (maybe lumbar) puncture to
call the hospital and ask for him. The baby had gone down to
less than 15 pounds and looked very delicate. The next week
was torture. His temperature kept high (he still had the
pneumonia) and sometimes it took hours to get him to take a
few ounces of milk. When I found his temperature on November
27 to be 105, I called in Dr. Thompson. He told us to bring
the baby back to the hospital. Back in the hospital they
took x-rays which showed that the pneumonia was spreading.
Dr. Berenberg said they were taking him back as much or more
for our sake than the baby's. The next day Dr. Berenberg
told me during visiting hours that the pneumonia had entered
the bloodstream, which is usually fatal but that Baby [
2999]
had responded wonderfully to treatment. He asked that the
next time the baby had an attack would it be all right just
to treat him ordinarily and not give him anything special to
keep him alive - implying that he would be better off dead.
Both my husband and I told him to do everything to keep him
alive - even an operation. The next day, Sunday, November 29
when I visited the nurse told me the baby's temperature was
normal, he was eating well and his bowels were good. On
Friday, December 4, Dr. Berenberg asked me if I wanted to
bring the baby home the next day. He said the baby would be
better off at home, less chance for infection and that he was
then in better condition than when we had brought him home
before, as now the pneumonia was all gone.
On Saturday, December 5, the baby was discharged the second
time by the Children's Hospital. At that time Dr. Berenberg
said that if he got bad again we should bring him in again
after calling the hospital first. "If we can make him more
comfortable we will take him," he said. This time he gave me
"Dilantin" in 1/2 grain, to be given daily, increasing amount
if necessary. The baby's diet was the same as the first
time, namely: Grade A milk, strained fruits, egg yolk,
vitamin C, and cod liver oil.
For a month the baby and I stayed at my mother's home.
Several times during this month, we thought the baby would
die. Dr. Thompson called the hospital, talked with Dr.
Berenberg and handled the case. On December 14, the baby was
very, very ill. At 3 P.M. he had a temperature of 106.4.
On Christmas Day he was again very ill, but by staying up
with him and feeding him by rectum he came through all right.
We were obliged to give him a great many enemas so that it
was hard for his bowels to move naturally. From an infant on
he has always been bothered with a great deal of gas. During
this time of course he kept having many convulsions. He
would turn blue under the eyes. His eyes would roll, his
mouth twitch, his hands and feet shake. This would keep
up for a long period of time. The Dilantin at that period
seemed to help a lot but at this writing (April 26) it seems
to have lost its power. This may be due in part to the
fact that it is administered by rectum and he quite often
ejects the capsule. Dr. Thompson had me put 4 drops of
phenobarbitol in each bottle but didn't always do this.
By January 6 he seemed improved enough to come here. He
cut four teeth very close together and had a great deal of
trouble with cutting them. Drooled a lot.
In looking over my records (I keep a record of each day's
happenings) the baby's temperature did not go much over 101
since coming home. He seemed to improve physically inasmuch
as his temperature stayed down for longer periods, he did not
vomit so much, and rectal feedings became unnecessary. He
has periods when he rolls his head around a great deal as
though it bothered him. And sometimes it seems as though his
eyes are pulled way back in his head. Dr. Berenberg had said
he thought the baby was deaf; however he seems to hear quite
a few things and sometimes jumps at sudden noises. He has
smiled occasionally but I feel that he has really only given
me one "real" smile since he became ill and that was three
days ago. Scarcely a day goes by however when he doesn't
have some convulsions.
At a friend's advice we took the baby to a chiropractor, Dr.
H. B. Shields, Quincy, Mass., on four occasions. The baby
had breathed very heavily at times (Dr. Thompson said this
was due to brain condition) and after two treatments this
heavy breathing went away; now only does it occasionally.
Dr. Thompson says baby is spastic. He had abscesses in
his ears which the doctor said were due to his teething.
He always has a good deal of wax in ears and glands are
quite enlarged. The last treatment the baby had from the
chiropractor was about a month ago. We did not know whether
it was wise to continue treatment or not, inasmuch as the
baby seemed to have more convulsions immediately after
treatment. Maybe he would have had them anyway.
Dr. Cross, the one who advised us to take the baby to the
Children's Hospital, examined him about three weeks ago.
He said that physically the baby was all right but that he
either had a tumor of the brain or pressure to act the way
he did. He still thinks the baby had spinal meningitis back
in September. He advised our taking the baby to Dr. Donald
Munro, a brain surgeon in Boston.
On April 2, a Boston newspaper ran an article on the wonders
of "plastic" and mentioned that a noted New York surgeon had
performed miracles with plastic on brain operations. I tried
to obtain the name of this surgeon from the American Medical
Association but they did not know and referred me to the New
York Academy of Medicine which has not answered my letter.
The baby's condition has changed a great deal since we
brought him home. He weighs 22 pounds and is nice and firm.
He has a great deal of gas and trouble with his bowels. The
convulsions have changed too. Now they are mostly confined
to his mouth, tongue and eyes. His diet also is of concern
to me. I know that many times he is fussy because he is
hungry, but he likes his bottle (we give him raw milk now)
and occasionally he will relish some strained fruits. I have
been giving him some cereal for bulk but know he should have
more substantial things, but he just will not take them.
For the past two weeks he has tried awfully hard to sit up
and becomes angry when he cannot or his head bobs around.
He also tries to get his right hand in his mouth but usually
misses because he doesn't have coordination. I remember Dr.
Berenberg's telling me that if he got hurt he would cry on a
second or two because he had no memory but several times that
theory has been proven wrong. He scratched the inside of
this (his?) and cried for two or three minutes from this.
Such things are small in themselves yet to my mind prove
encouraging.
I have a feeling that Dr. Latham and Dr. Berenberg of the
Children's Hospital did not quite believe me when I told them
how really bright little [
2999] was. They probably put it
down to mother pride. But when he was well he was vitally
alive every minute and now it is as though there was a cruel
spell cast on him and that he tries desperately at times to
break it.
GD's note: See
4/27/43 Report from Children's Hospital
dated
11/27/42, which the mother later found and sent to EC
6/14/43. [See 2999-1, Par. R5.]
REPORTS
5/29/43 Mother's letter to EC: "Thank you very much for
the Reading and your kind letter. We have followed your
instructions exactly.
"The osteopath Dr. Coulter recommended is: Dr. Kenneth R.
Zwicker, 55 Cushing Street, Wollaston, Mass.
"We have taken the baby to him three times and he is doing
things exactly as stated in the Reading. I also am massaging
the baby as indicated. We think he has improved a little.
"I waited to answer your letter because I wanted something
definite to tell you.
"Will certainly keep you advised as to developments.
"Thanking you again for your kind interest, I am"
Sincerely yours, Mrs. [...]
"P.S. I asked Dr. Zwicker if he found conditions as stated
in the Reading. He said yes, especially regarding the 1st,
2nd and 3rd cervicals. He stated he didn't quite understand
the 'lumbar axis' but is however following out the
instructions implicitly."
6/01/43 Letter from Dr. K. R. Zwicker (Osteopathic Physician)
to Dr. Coulter re [
2999]:
"Thank you for the reference to the above patient and to Mr.
Cayce.
"I have followed out treatment as outlined by Mr. Cayce and
to date the child has shown very good results, as: vomiting
has ceased, able to raise head, convulsions one or two per
day, whereas before treatment three and four per hour.
"My physical findings coincided with Mr. Cayce's, except in
the lumbar region I could not define the lesions, other than
to note spasticity and tenderness.
"I will continue as outlined and let you know in a month as
to results. Incidentally the child is blind and deaf which
I'm afraid will not come back, however we'll continue."
12/43 Letter from mother, [...] to EC: "Dr. Z. has requested
a reheck on the baby. He would like to know if things are
being done properly. We have done things just as indicated
in the Rdg., so far as I know.
"The baby has had more convulsions following these treatments
and he cries a great deal after them. He also vomits much
more than he used to. He has difficulty with his bowel
movements, too. However, he seems to have better control
of his hands and feet and his body does not seem to tense,
except at certain intervals. He has had seven treatments to
date. I realize, of course, that the above symptoms may be
only temporary - that is, the convulsions, crying, etc., may
be just what we may have to contend with for a while until
he gets over the shock of the adjustments. He hasn't lost
weight and he looks better than he did previously.
"Dr. Z. says he doesn't believe the baby can see or hear but
says this might be only temporary and might go away when he
becomes better. Sometimes the baby can hardly raise his eyes
- it's as though a heavy weight or pressure were in his head
- and his eyelids become red and swollen.
"Will you please make arrangements for another Rdg. as soon
as possible in order that we may find out how things are
progressing and if they are being done correctly? Please let
us know what the fee is and we shall send the money at once.
"We are very desirous of doing the right thing and not
harming the baby, so certainly shall appreciate a Rdg.
at your earliest convenience.
6/14/43 Letter from mother to EC: "I am enclosing a copy
of the hospital report (See below) on my son. This has just
come to my attention and I thought might prove of interest,
especially in view of the second Reading requested by Dr. Z.
who is now treating he baby."
Hospital report on [
2999].
4/27/43 "I am enclosing a photostatic copy of the summary of
the record of [
2999]. Apparently the baby is well now. His
trouble was caused by the pneumococcus germ.
"Would you send this summary back to me after you have read
it as these records are only for physicians."
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
2nd Admission
[
2999] 7 mos.
Service Infants' Hospital
Date: November 27, 1942
DISCHARGE SUMMARY: December 5, 1942
This was the second hospital admission of a seven months'
old male infant who had been discharged nine days previously
after an episode during which he had had frequent convulsive
attacks and varying degrees of fever. Pneumoencephalography
had revealed uniformly dilated ventricles, without localizing
signs. At that time, it was thought that little could be
done for him therapeutically and he was discharged home on
11/18/42, unimproved.
Following his first discharge from the hospital, he did
fairly well until 2 days previous to the second admission,
at which time he developed fever and began to have
continuous generalized convulsive seizures and anorexia.
Physical Examination: Temp. 104.2 deg. - Pulse Rate 160
- Resp. 48. The patient was having almost continuous
generalized seizures; respirations were very labored,
stertorous and difficult and there was a moderate amount
of frothy mucus in the mouth. The anterior fontanelle was
somewhat tense but not gulging. There was minimal injection
of the right eardrum; pharynx was diffusely injected.
Examination of the lungs showed many fine inspiratory
rales in scattered areas.
Lumbar puncture was performed and clear fluid obtained under
normal pressure; fluid contained normal cells, sugar and
protein and culture was subsequently sterile. The infant was
placed on Sulfadiazine and sedated with Numbutal. Under a
regime of sedation, seizures gradually became less frequent
and finally stopped. Temperature gradually fell to normal
levels within a twenty-four hour period and remained there
throughout the remainder of his stay in hospital. Blood
cultures which were taken on admission yielded Type xxiii
pneumococci. After the first twenty-four hours in the
hospital, the patient ceased having convulsions, although,
for the most part, he tended to remain in a position
of semi-opistotonos and was in very poor contact with
surroundings. He took feedings quite well but vomited
a small amount, on one occasion only. Sulfadiazine
was discontinued on the fifth hospital day, with no
untoward affects thereafter. A blood culture taken
after discontinuance of Sulfaziazine yielded no
significant pathogens.
LABORATORY DATA: Urine examinations negative. Flood: Hgb.
70%, RBC 4.28 million. WBC 12,800. WBC subsequently fell to
7,700. Blood Culture: Pneumococci, Type xxiii (
11/27/42).
Nose Culture: Moderate number pneumococci and moderate
number Staph. Aureus. Throat Culture Few Pneumococci and
moderate number Staph. aureus. Blood Sulfadiazine level -
18.7 mg%.
X-ray films of the chest showed considerable irregularity of
aeration, with an appearance of peribronchia pneumonitis.
DIAGNOSIS: ENCEPHALOPATHY, CHRONIC, CAUSE UNDETERMINED
(930-yx91). SEPTICEMIA, DUE TO PNEUMOCOCCUS, TYPE XXIII
(013-1010-XXIII) PHARYNGITIS, AC., DUE TO PNEUMOCOCCUS
(631-101).
Condition: Improved. Disposition: Discharged home on
Dilantin, Gr. ss daily.
William Berenberg, M.D.
6/14/43 Letter from Dr. K. R. Zwicker, osteopath:
"Through the recommendations of Dr. Geo. Coulter I have
been treating the above case as per directions given in
your readings.
"To date the child has shown improvement, convulsions have
decreased in frequency, child cries lustily now, and able to
raise its head.
"I was able to feel congested areas where you outlined,
the first three cervicals and in the lumbar area, but to
be perfectly frank I can't tell whether the vertebrae is to
the right or left due to the child's age, etc. I have asked
the mother to have another reading and hope you will stress
whether I am doing the right thing or not.
"Would you tell us whether the child is deaf and blind and
will it see or hear again."
6/23/43 See
2999-2.
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation