During extension of the wrist and fingers, and when the forearm is brought into supination, the forcible contractions of the supinator and radial muscles, and of the extensor carpi ulnaris are plainly visible; and between the two lumps which they form is seen a very small portion of muscle which remains without motion: this is the extensor communis; on the back of the wrist, the tendons of the extensor proprii digitorum are seen contracting with their wonted energy; abduction and adduction, impossible by the middle and ring fingers, can b performed by the index and little fingers, though in an obscure and uncertain manner; the thumb is freely abducted, adducted, and brought into opposition, which last movement is easily effected by the little finger also; the phalanges can be bent on one another, so that the tips of the ring and middle fingers shall fall between the thenar and hypothenar regions, while the remaining fingers touch the palm. The fingers of the right hand are similarly affected, but to a much less degree. The fingers are bent upon the metacarpus, at an obtuse angle, which is almost a right angle; they can be extended and separated a very little; the last phalanges are but slightly flexed upon the second phalanges; the hand cannot be firmly closed, and when this is attempted, the finger-ends come in contact with the middle portion of the thenar and hypothenar regions; the thumb and little finger cannot be placed in opposition; all other movements of the upper limb are easily performed, but they are rather slow and feeble. The two middle fingers of the right hand are less flexed than those of the left, but their extension and separation are equally impossible, The index and ring fingers, on the contrary, are held above the middle fingers, and are capable of complete extension and separation, but cannot long maintain these positions, being drawn into slight flexion by the weight of the paralyzed fingers, and by the permanent contraction of the flexors communi digitorum. On trying to squeeze a small object, the two middle fingers grasp it less firmly than the index and ring fingers. The thumb is moved naturally in all directions, The thumb is firmly flexed and turned inwards; it can be further adducted, but cannot be abducted, extended, or brought into opposition. All other movements are easy. The fingers are firmly flexed upon the metacarpus; on shutting the hand, their tips come into contact with the lower portion of the thenar and hypothenar regions. The fingers can be but partially separated, and that only when flexing them; on ceasing to contract, they are drawn closer together, and they are quite incapable of extension, On the right hand, the ring finger alone is flexed at an obtuse angle, and it cannot be in the least extended; yet it does not seem so much bent down as the left middle fingers, because the other fasciculi of the extensor communis digitorum kept it somewhat extended. When the fingers are closed, the ring finger does not get as far down as the others, neither can its abduction and adduction be fully effected. The left fingers, excepting the thumb and index, are firmly flexed, the last phalanges are flexed as much as possible, the tip of the index finger falls upon the metacarpus, while the other fingers cannot be carried beyond the thenar and hypothenar regions. All the movements of the left thumb are performed naturally, Right fingers flexed at an obtuse angle with the forearm; can be extended 3/4, and separated to a like distance. On shutting the hand, the right finger-tips fall beneath the thenar and hypothenar regions. The right thumb can be adducted and placed in opposition; it is incapable of abduction or extension. Right little finger easily brought into opposition, The left thumb is crooked, flexed at a right angle; the second phalanx is less bent than the first. Its movements of extension, abduction, and opposition are abolished; adduction however, can still be performed. Fingers of right hand considerably flexed upon the metacarpus; they are capable of very slight extension, especially the forefinger; on shutting the hand, the finger-ends fall somewhat below the thenar and hypothenar regions. They cannot be far separated, except in the line of flexion. The two left middle fingers are semiflexed upon the metacarpus and cannot be extended; on closing the hand, their tips fall on the middle portion of the thenar and hypothenar regions. The left index and ring fingers are bent back; slightly flexed; only partially extensible; held above the middle fingers, so that, when the hand is shut, their tips fall below the thenar and hypothenar regions, but do not reach to the lower extremity of the metacarpal region, Fingers of left hand kept flexed at an obtuse angle with the metacarpus; their phalanges being similarly bent upon one another, and their extension, abduction, and adduction very imperfectly performed. The fingers are flexed at almost a right angle with the metacarpus; the two middle fingers appear somewhat more bent than the others, and can scarcely be at all extended by any effort of the will; they can be very slightly separated, but only in the line of the flexion. The fingers and phalanges are more than half flexed; on attempting to close the hand, the finger-ends touch the thenar and hypothenar regions; the fingers can neither be separated nor approximated, except in the line of their flexion. The thumb and little finger cannot be brought into opposition. The fingers are semiflexed on the metacarpus; they are capable of partial extension, adduction, abduction, and opposition; the hand cannot be firmly closed, as the finger-cuds can only be brought to touch the lower portion of the thenar and hypothenar regions. The thumb is kept turned inwards; it cannot be opposed to the other fingers, or abducted. The fingers, When flexed, can only be slightly separated, middle and ring fingers of right hand became flexed so gradually, that he was hardly aware of it. During treatment for the colic, Which supervened, the thumb and remaining fingers became bent in like manner. The fingers, as well as the two phalanges, are more than semiflexed; when he tries to clench the fist, the finger-ends are brought down on the thenar and hypothenar regions, Fingers of one hand were curled up into the palm, Fingers, especially those of the right hand, semiflexed into the palms, Fingers flexed upon one another without muscular contraction, From the beginning, he has observed that any attempt to stretch out the fingers results as follows: the middle and ring fingers are flexed, the thumb and little finger are extended, Both middle fingers are firmly flexed at an obtuse angle; and are incapable of the least extension; they can only be a little separated when in the act of flexion. Fingers difficult to move. No contraction could be obtained by magneto- electricity, nor by inductive currents of electricity, in the extensor comm, digit.; by the continuous current (forty or fifty elements), a few faint contractions were produced in these muscles, on closing the current, They were scarcely visible in the extensor of the left hand, and it is doubtful if they occurred at all in that of the right, Complete extension cannot be accomplished by the right fingers, nor by the left middle and ring fingers. The thumb and little finger cannot be placed in opposition, When the hand bangs down, the fingers can hardly be separated in the least. The thumb cannot be completely abducted; the abductor pollicis longus remains entirely motionless, Opposition of abduction of the thumb is almost wholly impossible, The fingers cannot be separated except by flexing them a little, When the hands are kept forcibly extended, the fingers being flexed, he is unable to extend the latter, with exception of the left little finger, and in a slight degree the right index, When the hand is shut, the tips of the index and little fingers reach to the lower portion of the metacarpus, while those of the middle fingers do not fall beyond the thenar and hypothenar regions. The left middle fingers are less easily separated and approximated than are the forefinger and little finger, The left thumb and little finger are easily brought into opposition the left forefinger cannot be abducted, The thumb moves freely in every direction, as also do the wrist and forearm, The left index, middle, and ring fingers are easily and completely extended, separated, and flexed; on shutting the hand, their tips touch the lower part of the metacarpal region. The left little finger, however, is firmly flexed on the metacarpus, and cannot be extended, separated, adducted, of brought into opposition, Abduction of the right thumb is easy, adduction is impossible. The extensors o the fingers are very much enfeebled on both sides, but more on the right. The left hand grasps very well, but the right can scarcely keep hold of anything, The contracted fingers when forcibly extended, the extension causing pain up the whole arm to the shoulder, were almost immediately again completely flexed, The index and little fingers are capable of complete extension, but cannot maintain it for any length of time, being drawn into flexion by the weight of the middle fingers, which are held immovably beneath them, and by the action of the flexores communi digitorum. Their power of abduction and adduction is unimpaired, Sudden weakness of the fourth and fifth fingers of the right hand the feeling of weight in the left fingers is less decided then in the right, Sensation of weight in the finger tips, Weakness of the right ring finger, the wrists, left hand being almost un affected, Loss of muscular sense in the right fingers. Dorsal and palmar surfaces of little and ring fingers entirely insensible to all stimuli; the anaesthesia extends also from the fourth and fifth metacarpal bones to the styloid process of the ulna. The skin of the inner surface of the middle finger, and of the third metacarpal bone is equally insensible. Pain is felt on thrusting a pin deep into the affected portion of the metacarpal region; and also on wringing of jerking violently the fingers whose skin is insensible. The fingers move without difficulty, but less nimbly than usual, and as if benumbed; but not one of their muscles is paralyzed, Diminution of sense of contact. Cannot distinguish a fine fabric from a coarse one by the touch merely, The sense of touch judging from the perception of polished surfaces is somewhat enfeebled, Sense of touch is weaker in right fingers, Slight dextral analgesia, especially of the finger tips, Formication and numbness in the right finger-tips, Peculiar sensation of the left fourth finger, Numbness of fingers, Numbness of the fingers and the muscles of the back of the arm with wrist-drop. He could not pick up a pin, although sensation, which was tested by two points, but not by galvanism, was unaltered, Falling asleep of the right thumb, Sensation of tension in the left thumb, painless, for five minutes, The fingers feel as if much swollen, and heavy, Cramps in the fingers whenever he tries to grasp anything but without pain, Occasional cramps in the fingers, Pain in the fingers, Tearing on the side of the left index finger, between the second and third joints in the afternoon, Tearing in the left thumb (after two hours and a half), Tearing in the right ring and middle fingers, towards the tips, disappearing after rubbing, but returning violently (after one hour), Transient jerking in the left thumb (after seven hours).
Born in 1837in Westminster, Vermont. . He was an orthodox doctor who converted to homeopathy
Dr. Allen compiled the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica over the course of 10 years.
In 1881 Allen published A Critical Revision of the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica.