An epidemic of follicular conjunctivitis in a Liverpool school / by K. Grossmann and M. Loewenthal.

  • Grossmann, Klaus.
Date:
[1902?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: An epidemic of follicular conjunctivitis in a Liverpool school / by K. Grossmann and M. Loewenthal. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    corneo-sclerotic margin. Sometimes the pericorneal injection is circumscribed, and only occupies one or two small parts of the corneal circumference. This is of bad omen, as it is almost always followed immediately by the development of a marginal keratitis at the locality of the hyperaemia. Towards this stage we find very often the tarsal conjunctiva, •especially that of the upper lid, of a red, velvety appearance, •being in the state of so-called papillary conjunctivitis. Very often the chronic stage of follicular conjunctivitis does not develop out of the acute stage, but begins as such. In that case both inflammation and secretion may be very insig- mficant. The hyperemia may be confined to the conjunctival fold ; the tarsal conjunctiva shows no abnormal injection, nor does the pericorneal region, except temporarily, through irritation, ■either mechanical, as from dust and smoke, or functional, as from strong light or continued exertion. In the chronic form the follicles are mostly found in the lower conjunctival fold; the upper fold may be free. This «tate of affairs may remain for years if not attended to. It may be mentioned that in none of our cases did we find the pre-auricular gland enlarged. It is noteworthy that other authors have laid great stress on the enlargement of the ad- joining lymphatic glands in both follicular and granular con- junctivitis. The pre-auricular gland is the first to be enlarged; in some cases even the cervical glands have been found swollen. The disturbances of function and the discomfort may be very ^annoying. The chronic form, on the other hand, is generally <;haracterised by comparative ease and absence of discomfort, in some instances very remarkably so, and quite out of proportion to the great development and enlargement of follicles. Etiologically it is undoubted that the secretion of the folli- cular conjunctivitis is more infectious than that of simple catarrh. Whether the secretion owes its infectiousness to some specific pathogenic micro-organisms must be considered quite an open question. Recently the pneumococcus has been made respon- sible for the follicular development; but there are many VOL. XX. ^