Argyrosis of the conjunctiva and lachrymal sac following the prolonged instillation of a five per cent solution of protargol : microscopic examination of the excised sac / by G. E. de Schweinitz.

  • De Schweinitz, G. E. (George Edmund), 1858-1938.
Date:
[1903]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Argyrosis of the conjunctiva and lachrymal sac following the prolonged instillation of a five per cent solution of protargol : microscopic examination of the excised sac / by G. E. de Schweinitz. 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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    lines the meshwork of the tissue with beautiful distinctness. The surface of the sac is denuded in many places and the number of lymphoid cells greatly increased, so that the wall of the sac is greatly thickened and all structures of the submucous tissue obscured. In addition to the pigment around the elastic fibers, it may be seen outlining the inner wall of the capillaries. It is brownish-yellow by transmitted light. The accompanying- drawing by Mrs. P. P. Chase very accurately illustrates the lesions which have been described. The whole subject of the clinical and anatomical investiga- tion of argyrosis has recently been reviewed by Hoppe.* He found in his case that the epithelium was practically free from pig- mentation, an observation which corresponds with that made by Grossmann,f who failed to observe any trace of pigment in the epithelium, the coloring being exclusively confined to the elastic fibers. Hoppe further notes that in the already well- known manner the elastic fibers were colored and also the cement substance of the muscle cells of the vessel walls. In addition, there were found coarse granules scattered throughout the tissue, and by the application of concentrated sulphuric acid the pigment became free and changed into yellow granules, although it was not mechanically isolated from the tissue ele- ments to which it clung. In general terms, the coloration con- sisted of a fine granular precipitate of albuminate of silver, which appeared at or after the diffusion of the nitrate of silver lotion through the epithelial layer, and as soon as it came in contact with the alkaline tissue fluid. Gradually pigmentation of the superficial layers took place by a process of reduction. As is evident from the specimens which I have exhibited and the description which I have given of them, the same condi- tion of affairs applies to the present instance, and the process of staining in the lachrymal sac, as well as the method of the deposition of the pigment, is the same as in the conjunctiva. Moreover, this occurred under the action of protargol and not •Archiv. £. Ophth., 48, iSgg, p. 660. t Ophthalmic Review, Vol. VII, 1888, p. 167.