The diseases if infancy and childhood; for the use of students and practitioners of medicine / by L. Emmett Holt.

  • Holt, L. Emmett (Luther Emmett), 1855-1924.
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The diseases if infancy and childhood; for the use of students and practitioners of medicine / by L. Emmett Holt. 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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    and may occur in connection with otitis, meningitis, or severe broncho- pneumonia—chiefly in infants. Meningitis is rare, but either the simple or the tuberculous form may occur, more often, however, as a sequel than as a complication. Insanity, usually of a temporary character, occasionally follows measles. In the epidemic of 108 cases reported by Smith and Dabney, insanity was noted three times, all the cases terminating in recovery. Epilepsy and chorea are rare sequel*. Ears.—Otitis is not so frequent as in scarlet fever, and in many epi- demics it rarely occurs; in others it is often seen. In one hospital epi- demic it was noted in 14 per cent of the cases. This epidemic occurred in early spring and affected very small cliildren, both of which circum- stances are favourable for the development of otitis. Usually both ears are afPected, and the inflammation terminates in suppuration; but the otitis of measles is, as a rule, much less serious than that of scarlet fever, and much less frequently leads to permanent impairment of hearing. Eyes.—Simple catarrhal conjunctivitis accompanies nearly every case of measles. In the severe form there is a muco-purulent catarrh, which may attain any degree of severity. In neglected cases, and among chil- dren who are poorly nourished, especially in asylums, the disease is apt to extend to the cornea. In a very large number of cases chronic conjunc- tivitis persists after measles, particularly in the class of children just mentioned. Lymph yiodes.—Swelling of the lymphatic glands of the neck is fre- quent, but not generally severe, and rarely terminates in suppuration. In a considerable proportion of cases chronic enlargement persists for months, and sometimes the glands may become tuberculous. Similar changes and similar consequences may occur in the glands of the tracheo-bronchial group. Kidneys.—The infrequency of renal complications in measles is in striking contrast to scarlet fever. Transient febrile albuminuria is not uncommon, but a serious degree of nephritis, either clinically or at au- topsy, I have never seen, and literature furnishes but few cases. Demme and Browning have each reported cases of nephritis following measles, in which death occurred from uraemia. Heart.—Both endocarditis and pericarditis have occurred in the course of measles, but they belong to the rare complications. The same may be said of changes in the muscular walls of the heart. Skin.—As complications, erysipelas, furunculosis, impetigo, and pem- phigus have been noted; but all are rare. Hcemorrhages.—Associated with the hgemorrhagic type of the eruption, severe and even fatal haemorrhages may occur from the mucous mem- branes, and the latter are sometimes seen without the hagmorrhagic eruption.