D-r. Travie Drennen. Syphilis as an aetiological factor in the production of locomotor ataxia. —The alienist and neurologist, 1896, № 4

In 40 - 60% tabes dorsalis the ethiological moment is lues. The author cannot agree to accept syphilis as such for the cause of tabes dorsalis. In his opinion, only that syphilitic is sick with tabes dorsal, who has been abusing for a long time the internal methods of iodine drugs. If syphilis really was such a common cause of tabes dorsalis, then the latter would have met incomparably more often in such peoples who are especially often sick with syphilis. Between the two, neither the author himself, during 12 years of practice, nor Dr. James lelks for 19 years, have met a single case of tabes dorsalis among blacks who so often suffer from syphilis. In Japan, syphilis is very common, and tabes is extremely rare.