PETECHIAL HEMORRHAGES OF THE BRAIN: EXPERIMENTALLY PRODUCED IN RATS BY CONCUSSION

In a previous study1 we investigated the nature of traumatic petechial hemorrhages in 11 human brains, the interval of survival after trauma varying from an unmeasurable period, designated for lack of a better term, perhaps improperly, as "immediate death," to eight days. All brains, studied by careful histologic methods, showed perivascular petechiae. They were frequent about the arterioles. The different forms and states of petechiae, as well as their location in the brain substance, were described. A theory was advanced as to the formation of ring and ball hemorrhages from fresh petechiae. The data obtained led to the conclusion that multiple petechial hemorrhages are a characteristic finding in cases of severe concussion of the brain and are dependent on vasodilatation, vascular stasis (prestasis) and anoxemia, and that mild, reversible concussion effects on the parenchyma of the brain should be distinguished from severe, irreversible concussion effects. The possible relationship of