History of descriptions

The first description was by T. Clifford Allbutt in Lancet . On the opthalmic signs of spinal disease. Lancet. 1870; 1:76-78. However the Frenchman Devic gets credit, even though his protege did the research. Devic E. Myelite subaigue compliquee de nevrite optique. Bull Med 1894;8: 1033-34. Next up was Stansbury FC. Neuromyelitis optica (Devic's disease) Arch Opthalmol 1949; 42:292-335. Beck commented in 1927 on the longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis, cavitation, perivascular infiltration in CNS,