The treatment of recent trachoma / Thomas A. Woodruff.

  • Woodruff, Thomas Adams, 1865-
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The treatment of recent trachoma / Thomas A. Woodruff. 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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    THE TREATMENT OF RECENT TRACHOMA.* THO.M.\S A. WOODRUFF, Af.D., C.:Nr. CHICAGO. In order to avoid any misunderstanding as to what is meant by the term “reeent trachoma,” it is necessary to state that it relates to that period of early infection of the conjunctiva by a disease whicli is more or less infec- tious in its nature and chronic in character from its on- set. It in no way relates to those acute exacerbations frequently seen during the course of the same disease. Probably a better term would be the incipient or pri- mary stage of trachoma. For the mater of convenience, and without giving a too minute description, I have di- vided trachoma into four stages, each stage being merely a condition reached in the process of the development of tlie disease, and not a separate variety. Clinically, the first stage closely resembles, and is with difficulty diagnosed from, ordinary follicular conjunc- tivitis. It is the period of the primary infection, what- ever that may be. It is characterized by the presence of enlarged follicles, more or less irregularly distrilnited over the palpebral conjunctiva, and especially pi'esent in the retrotarsal folds, and more rarely in the ocular conjunctiva. Accompanying this is more or less con- gestion of the conjunctiva. As the disease advances we reach the second stage, in which the conjunctiva covering the tarsus becomes hy- ])crtrophied and thickened and thrown into folds, taking on a velvety appearance from the decided cnlargem(#it of the papilla}. Although there is usually no intense inflammation, there is moderate redness and the lids are gummed together in the morning. This is the stage in which the disease is most commonly first recognized. •Kciul In the Section on OphtlialmoloK.v of the .\mericun Mcfll- cal .\saoclntton nt the Klfty-eliihth Anniml Session, held at .\t- lantlc Olt.v, .Inne, 1007.