Historical and Clinical Analysis of a Case of Progressive Muscular Atrophy (1853-1871)

Progressive muscular atrophy (PMA) emerged in the mid-19th century as a distinct clinical entity within the evolving field of French neurology, notably through the work of François Amilcar Aran, Duchenne de Boulogne, and later Jean-Martin Charcot. During this period, uncertainties persisted regarding its nosological status, pathophysiology, and relationship to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Longitudinal clinical observations from this era remain rare but are essential for understanding both the natural history of motor neuron diseases and the historical construction of neurological knowledge.

This article presents a historical and clinical analysis of a unique case of PMA observed for over nearly 2 decades (1853-1871) in Parisian hospitals. The case concerns Auguste-Joseph Bellinghen, whose condition was first documented in an unpublished handwritten manuscript in 1853 and later published with photographic illustrations in 1871. Through a comparative analysis of these two observations, the study traces the slow, asymmetrical, and irreversible progression of muscular atrophy, marked by early fasciculations, the absence of sensory disturbances, and eventual severe motor disability. The case is examined within its institutional, nosological, and therapeutic contexts, highlighting hospital circulation, the role of medical interns, and the empirical treatments of the time, including electrotherapy and thermal baths. Reinterpreted in light of contemporary neurology, this historical observation likely corresponds to a spinal-onset motor neuron disease closely related to ALS. Beyond its clinical significance, the case illustrates the transition from descriptive clinical medicine to anatomoclinical correlation and contributes to the historiography of neurology by illuminating how individual patient trajectories shaped medical knowledge in the 19th century.

(1) Long-term historical clinical observations provide valuable insights into the natural history of PMA and motor neuron diseases. (2) The Bellinghen case illustrates the evolution of neurological semiology, particularly the early recognition of fasciculations and asymmetrical muscle wasting. (3) This case highlights the transition from Aran's initial clinical description of PMA to Charcot's anatomopathological framework linking PMA to ALS. (4) Historical medical archives offer not only scientific data but also a window into the social consequences of chronic neurological disease in the 19th century. (5) Integrating historical and clinical analysis enriches contemporary understanding of motor neuron disease nosology and medical memory.