Neuromyelitis Optica - Devic's Disease

The loss of vision in both eyes of a young person followed by or preceded by a spinal cord lesion was first described in 1870 by Allbutt, a physician at the Leeds Infirmary. Following his report of 5 patients with non-traumatic myelitis, one of whom developed ‘optic neuritis' 12 weeks after developing spinal symptoms, reports appeared by Erb in 1879, Seguin in the U.S. in 1880, Chisholm in 1882 and Achard and Guinon in 1889, who reported the first pathology in this condition. In 1894 Devic and his student Gault reported a case and reviewed 16 previously reported cases. It was Gault who gave the condition his teacher's name. Since that time an argument has raged as to whether ‘Devic's disease' was a separate entity or simply a variant presentation of multiple sclerosis. This disagreement has generated much smoke and heat, but little light. I would like to characterize the condition we have come to know as Devic's Disease and explore reasons for considering it a separate nosological category.