The cerebral lesions in a case of complete acquired colour-blindness / by George Mackay and James Crauford Dunlop.

  • Mackay, George, 1861-1949.
Date:
[1899]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The cerebral lesions in a case of complete acquired colour-blindness / by George Mackay and James Crauford Dunlop. 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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    aware only one comparable case of acquired colour-blindness has been examined post-mortem, and recorded. We refer to that by Verrey {Arch, dopkthal., xvii., 1888, p. 289). His case differed from ours in that it was one-sided (only hemiachromatopsia), and showed a more extensive lesion of the cerebrum. Our patient, aged sixty-two, the managing director of a large and complicated commercial undertaking, was a man of great mental capacity; he had enjoyed good health, and had previous to his last illness suffered from no malady which could in any way affect his sight. His colour sense had always been good. He always took a great interest in the management of his garden, and was able to appreciate the most delicate colours in his flowers. In 1896 hard work and excessive worry in the management of his business affairs seemed to have reduced his strength, he became anaemic. Early in 1897 symptoms of dyspepsia were added to those of anaemia. No definite diagnosis of his case was made until November of that year, when a carcinoma of the stomach was found. The symptoms of debility and dyspepsia increased, and at the time of his death, April 1898, he was very emaciated. Thus far the history of the case is a fairly typical one of carcinoma of the stomach. An affection of the sight was first noticed on November 24th, 1897. On the previous day his eyesight had been as usual, but on the morning of the 24th he found himself unable to read his letters, and when out walking later in the day it was found that he was unable to recognise vivid colours in some children's dresses. His eyes were tested that afternoon (not by the authors), and found to be completely insensible to colour. On December 23rd, 1897, he was examined by Dr Dunlop, and found to be completely colour-blind. All coloured objects appeared grey. He was unable to recognise the colours of brightly-coloured cushions. He could not see mustard on his dinner plate. He could not tell by sight whether a fire in the grate of his room was glowing or not. His distant form sense as tested by Snellen's types seemed good. He had difficulty in reading continuous print even with the help of his usual presbyopic glasses.