December 7, 1967
Dr. Peter J. Pauling
Chemistry Department
University College London
Gower Street WC 1 London,
England
Dear Peter:
I am writing to make another report about mama.
She has been walking around today, and is scheduled to come home tomorrow. Linda will stay with us for a few days, to help keep an eye on her.
The further developments in her case are that the presence of a tumor has been ruled out. The spinal tap showed proper pressure of fluid, the cerebral spinal fluid was clear, the protein content was normal, and, in addition, she gave a very good technetium scan when this test was tried. Her EEG shows an abnormality, a sort of spiking in the left hemisphere, posterior, I think. I judge that it is definite that might be considered borderline. Her syncope was, however, not accompanied by any foaming or jerkiness or other evidence of convulsion. The neurologist, Dr. DeBolt, wanted to carry out an X-ray study with injection of a radiopaque material into an artery, which is a real operation lasting an hour and a half and involving general anesthesia. Something was visible on the X-rays of her head, at the back, which might have been interpreted as a small tumor of some sort. The neurosurgeon, Dr. Cobb, said that he felt sure that what was visible is a venous lake, a congenital malformation in the skull, and not connected with the EEG spiking. She has now gone on a therapy of nicotinic acid and a hormone, premergine or something like that. She seems to be perfectly normal and in excellent spirits.
We are looking forward to seeing you, and hope that you will make a visit with us before long.
Love from,
Daddy
December
7, 1967
