On eye infections from malarial poisoning / by Charles J. Kipp.

  • Kipp, Charles J. (Charles John), 1838-1911.
Date:
1881
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On eye infections from malarial poisoning / by Charles J. Kipp. 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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    whilst the angio-neurotic symptoms of the iritis are at least much mitigated during the apyrexial period. Temporary amaurosis, commonly of both eyes, has been repeatedly observed as a complication of the paroxysms of intermittent fever. The fever was, as a rule, of the tertian type. The paroxysms during which the amaurosis occurred, were either of not more than ordinary severity, or they were accompanied by such grave symptoms as aphasia, paralysis of the extremities, delirium and coma. Occasionally the patient, on awaken- ing from a prolonged attack of coma, would find himself totally blind. The amaurosis was in some cases accom- panied by pain in the eye or head, photophobia and slight redness of the eye, but in others it was not. In the majority of the cases reported both eyes were affected. Whilst in most cases the blindness began with the chill, continued during the hot stage and disappeared again during the sweating stage, there are a few cases on record in which the blindness continued for many hours after the paroxysm. In some of the cases the blindness was total, but in others there remained some perception of light. The pupils were commonly dilated during the attack, and reacted to light either sluggishly or not at all. The degree of blind- ness and the condition of the pupils would often vary in the different attacks of the same patient. Blindness of the right half of the visual field of both eyes was observed by Dr. Reich on himself during a paroxysm of fever. The hemianopsia had fortunately passed away on the follow- ing morning. In all of the cases reported, the recurrence of the attacks of amaurosis was prevented by the admin- istration of quinine. Intermittent amaurosis has also been observed in cases of latent periodic fevers, in which slight nausea, or some chilliness, or perhaps moderate perspiration were the only