["Silent" areas of the brain--a challenge in family practice].

Based on two medical histories found among complaints dealt with by the Norwegian Board of Health the author points out the main symptoms of frontal or temporal lobe failure. Following a history of three weeks one of the patients died as a result of an overlooked cerebral abscess. During the history three different doctors had made wrong diagnostic suggestions, mainly because of the coincidence of an influenza epidemic in the neighbourhood. The other patient died from a cerebral tumour. In his history epilepsy was the main symptom for many months. This diagnosis was overlooked because the doctor suggested that the patient had a high alcohol consumption.