Hi Nancy Lynn.
It is clear from the responses that some of the respondents do not understand what is going on here.
The source text is referring the the examination of an "unconscious" patient. I put the term unconscious in quotation marks because there is a gradation of degree of unconsciousness, ranging from stupor to profound coma.
Part of the examination of an unconscious patient is intended to determine the depth of the coma, using the so-called "Glascow Coma Scale".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Coma_ScaleAs you see from the Wikipedia article, the response to painful stimuli takes various forms, depending on the level of coma. Painful stimuli can be administered in various ways that we learn in medical school. Suffice it to say, they leave no marks. <gr>
As is clear from the Wikipedia article, we are looking for a withdrawal response, an extension response or no response at all.
The exam indicates that there is a withdrawal response on the right but on the left, it is really unclear to the examiner.
Thus, the patient has an E2 score for the eyes. The motor score is confounded by the fact that the response is "withdrawl" on the right and uncertain on the left. The fact that the patient has a neutral Babinski reflex on the left suggests that he may be paralysed on the left side, from a stroke perhaps. This would account for the uncertain reaction to the painful stimulus by the left side.
Both Ellen and Anton have the correct translations.
peer agreement (net): +3
