Ophthalmia nodosa / by J.B. Lawford.

  • Lawford, J. B. (John Bowring)
Date:
[1895]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ophthalmia nodosa / by J.B. Lawford. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    proved. Portion of iris removed at first operation, hardened and sections made. At pupillary border very little change. Near this iris much thickened, and in thickened part hairs seen cut across. Microscopic appear- ances of nodules in which hairs were situated closely resembled those of tubercle. Caterpillar was determined to be the Pine-moth caterpillar [Gastropacha pini). The hairs of this are known to be irritating to the skin, and (in Germany) labourers protect their hands with gloves. This caterpillar is said to be very abundant in Germany. 3. Aug. Wagenmann.—Archiv f. Ophthal. vol. xxxvi, 1, p. 126, 1890 : “Pseudo-tubercular inflammation of the conjunctiva and iris from caterpillar hairs.” This case, occurring in a boy aet. 9, was observed in Leber’s clinique in Gottingen in 1886. Patient came 20th January, 1886, with a history that the right eye became inflamed four months previously, after being struck by a dark brown hairy caterpillar thrown at him by a playmate. On admission, right circumcorneal injection, especially on nasal side, where there are two or three small flat- tened yellowish nodules. Cornea clear. Two posterior synechias. Below lower pupillary border a fine pointed prominence the same colour as iris is visible on surface of iris, and at lower inner part a similar but less distinct projection. Good fundus reflex; no details visible on account of photophobia. The nodules at nasal border of cornea were excised and examined. The pupil reacted badly to repeated atropine di’ops. The eye eventually recovered with good vision. Mici’oscopic examination of the portion of tissue re- moved showed structure closely resembling tubercle, with numerous giant-cells ; each nodule coxxtained as its centre a section of a hair. Staining for tixbercle bacilli gave negative results. The catex’pillar in this case was px’obably, but not certainly, Gastropacha pini.