Elliott Mancall, neurology teacher

Elliott Mancall, 85, of Lafayette Hill, a neurology professor who was instrumental in the discovery of two major brain diseases, died Thursday, Jan. 2, of end-stage renal disease at his home.

Dr. Mancall was a national and international figure in neurology for over a half-century.

Locally, he left his mark as a neurologist and emeritus professor of neurology at Jefferson Medical College, and as founding chairman of the neurology department at the former Hahnemann Medical College.

The doctor's research interest was in the effects of chronic alcoholism, malnutrition, and systemic cancer on the nervous system.

Two discoveries have become classics in the neurology literature. With his colleagues, K.E. Åstrom and E.P. Richardson, he described progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) as a complication of chronic lymphatic leukemia and also Hodgkin's disease.

PML is a viral infection of certain cells in the brain that can follow treatments for autoimmune diseases. PML was later found to be present in other diseases, such as AIDS and immunodeficiency disorders.

With R.D. Adams and M. Victor, he described central pontine myelinolysis, a disease affecting the insulating cover of nerve cells in the pons region of the brain. The condition, the three said, was induced by alcoholism, malnutrition, and electrolyte imbalance.

The disease can result in paralysis, said A.M. Rostami, current professor of neurology and chairman of the neurology department at Jefferson Medical College and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

"Recognition of these conditions has helped in the proper management of the afflicted patients and has saved many lives," Dr. Rostami said.

Dr. Mancall, a native of Hartford, Conn., received a bachelor's degree in biological sciences from Trinity College in 1948, and a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1952.

After a year's internship at Hartford (Conn.) Hospital and another year there as assistant resident in surgery, he was awarded a Fulbright scholarship and spent a year at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, London.

In 1958, Bernard J. Alpers, chair of neurology at Jefferson Medical College, recruited Dr. Mancall as an assistant professor of neurology.

Dr. Mancall rose to associate professor in 1964. From 1965 to 1976, he was professor of neurology at Hahnemann Medical College, now Drexel University College of Medicine. In 1976 he founded the department of neurology at Hahnemann, and stayed on as chairman until 1994.

In 1995, Dr. Mancall moved back to Jefferson as professor of neurology, and from 1997 to 2003 was interim chair of the department. In 2005, he became emeritus professor of neurology at Jefferson, but continued to teach and mentor students.

"He was still teaching medical students up until six months ago, and saw patients until he was 80 to 81," Rostami said. "He took great pleasure in conducting Professor Rounds of difficult cases, so he could tell the younger doctors what should be done."

His son, Andrew, also a doctor, said his father was an avid reader and enjoyed American history, tennis, travel, and following the Eagles.

In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jacqueline, whom he met when they were both students at Penn; another son, Peter C.; and four grandchildren.

Contributions may be made to the Miquon School, 2025 Harts Lane, Conshohocken, Pa. 19428.