Although clinical evidence of involvement of the sympathetic nervous system in cases of acrodynia is universally recognized, no observations which demonstrate sympathetic dysfunction quantitatively have come to our attention. Tests for activity of the vegetative nervous system, especially in children, are at best difficult to evaluate. However, we believe the observations we have made in 3 cases of acrodynia, both during the disease and after recovery, to be of sufficient interest to merit a report of the findings.
Recognized evidences of hypertonicity of the sympathetic system in cases of acrodynia are tachycardia, perspiration, hypertension, hyperglycemia and psychic instability. Other symptoms, such as increased nasal secretion and flow of saliva and possibly also constipation and abdominal pain, are attributable to hyperactivity of the parasympathetic system. Still other findings, like muscular weakness and paresthesia, suggest widespread general involvement of the nervous system. In selecting a test for estimating hypertonicity of the sympathetic