| Conjunctivitis | | | | certain observations made with other diseases. |
| The tissue which lines the eyelids and runs out over | | | | Undulant fever was one of the most difficult |
| the eyeball is called the conjunctiva. An inflammation | | | | conditions to control by various methods, and |
| of this tissue is known as conjunctivitis. When the | | | | eventually physicians found that a combination of an |
| conjunctiva becomes inflamed there is burning and | | | | antibiotic and sulfonamide was more effective in |
| smarting of the eyelid, formation of pus, and | | | | controlling the conditions than either antibiotic or |
| reddened eyelids. Usually the eye when inflamed | | | | sulfonamide drugs alone. Now, careful studies made |
| becomes exceedingly sensitive to light, and tears | | | | at Johns Hopkins |
| flood it constantly. In the morning the eyelids will be | | | | University Medical School have proved that a |
| found crusted together. Doctors treat this condition | | | | combination of streptomycin and promizole is the |
| according to the character of the germ that causes | | | | most efficient method yet known for controlling |
| the inflammation and according to the severity of the | | | | tuberculosis of the eye. Before the method of |
| infection. | | | | treatment was tried on people with such infections, |
| Pinkeye is a common type of conjunctivitis. Shortly | | | | each of the drugs was tried separately and then a |
| after this special type of germ gets into the eyes | | | | combination was tried on tuberculosis of the eye of |
| they become reddened, the lids are swollen and | | | | rabbits. The eyes of all rabbits with such tuberculosis |
| puffy and usually glued together in the morning. | | | | were found to be free of any evidence of |
| Pinkeye is usually spread by the use of a common | | | | tuberculous infection after four weeks of treatment |
| towel, and sometimes by soiled hands. | | | | with a combination of these drugs. |
| In some instances the eyes become inflamed by | | | | Thirteen out of fourteen people with tuberculous |
| germs which get in from contaminated swimming | | | | infections of the eye and with evidence of |
| pools. Physicians are able to prescribe much more | | | | tuberculous infection elsewhere in the body were |
| powerful germicides than boric acid, and in that way | | | | given the combination of streptomycin and promizole, |
| bring dangerous infections under control. | | | | and with results far superior to those which |
| It is easy to transfer germs of this character from | | | | physicians had seen previously in treating such cases. |
| one person to another. The safe step is for people | | | | The inflammatory symptoms disappeared, a change |
| with infected eyes to use individual towels and to | | | | for the better began anywhere from nine days to |
| make certain that the hands are always thoroughly | | | | three weeks after the treatment was begun, and |
| washed with soap and water whenever any contact | | | | the only disadvantage was the appearance of |
| is made with the eye. | | | | occasional toxic reactions to the drugs. Of course |
| Trachoma | | | | neither these drugs nor any others can replace dead |
| One of the most wide spread diseases of the world | | | | tissues. They cannot remove the scars resulting from |
| is an inflammation of the eyes called trachoma, now | | | | damaged tissues, nor can they overcome cataracts |
| believed to be due to a specific virus. The condition is | | | | or any other irreversible changes. Inflammatory |
| so common in Egypt, Palestine, and India except | | | | changes, however, which had not resulted in |
| among the upper classes-that it is almost a universal | | | | complete destruction of the tissues were completely |
| disease. | | | | controlled. Unquestionably this investigation with these |
| The infection is carried by the transfer of the | | | | favorable results means that a condition of the eye, |
| secretions from the eyes through the use of the | | | | which has been formerly responsible for a great deal |
| hands, towels, handkerchiefs, pillows, or even by | | | | of blindness, is now amenable to treatment. |
| sneezing. It has been thought, indeed, that in some | | | | Iritis |
| areas the infection is carried by flies. | | | | The iris is the colored portion of the eye. It can |
| In this condition the eye becomes inflamed and red; | | | | become infected and inflamed, due to various causes. |
| then blisters and crusts form. The scarring and injury | | | | When it is infected it becomes swollen, dull, and |
| may change the shape of the eyelids. If the infection | | | | discolored. The pupil gets small, gray, and sluggish. |
| of the cornea of the eye becomes sufficiently | | | | There is pain, radiating to the forehead and to the |
| severe the eyesight may be destroyed. | | | | temple, which is worse at night, and there is much |
| This infection should be avoided with every possible | | | | disturbance of vision. In most infections of the eye |
| effort. People who are in an area where trachoma is | | | | the person who has an inflammation of the iris |
| common should be exceedingly careful about the use | | | | cannot stand to look at the light, and there is |
| of common towels and about rubbing the eyes with | | | | constant watering of the eye. |
| the hands. | | | | One of the most common causes of this condition is |
| The modem treatment of trachoma using the | | | | syphilis. However, the iris may also become infected |
| sulfonamide drugs has been exceedingly helpful in | | | | by other germs and may be involved in rheumatic |
| stopping the progress of the disease. | | | | conditions. It is of the utmost importance to take |
| In treating the symptoms of trachoma, including the | | | | care of this condition immediately, because the |
| inflammation and the secretion, attempts are made | | | | inflammation and infection may result in scarring which |
| to check and remove the granules and to overcome | | | | will either block the pupil entirely or bind the iris down |
| the enlargement of the tissues of the conjunctiva. | | | | in such a manner as to prevent its motion. Obviously, |
| This is accomplished by the application of caustic | | | | this will cause a permanent disturbance of vision. |
| substances such as sulfate of copper or nitrate of | | | | When a doctor takes care of this condition he applies |
| silver and by mechanical and surgical methods, such | | | | drugs which relieve the congestion and put the part |
| as the scraping or cutting away of the excess | | | | at rest. Dilatation of the pupil will prevent the scarring |
| material. This demands the utmost judgment and | | | | and tend to break up the small scars that have |
| care on the part of the physician, since over irritation | | | | already formed. Various preparations of atropine are |
| demands soothing treatment. Consequently there is | | | | useful for this purpose. There are other drugs which |
| no routine treatment each patient must be treated | | | | are anesthetic in character and which prevent pain. |
| according to the condition that exists at the time he | | | | The doctor may prescribe also moist, hot |
| is examined. It becomes necessary to keep the eyes | | | | compresses for several hours, which will tend to |
| clean for some time by the frequent use of solutions | | | | diminish the pain and the inflammation. |
| of salt or alkaline washes or other preparations which | | | | Of particular importance, however, is the treatment |
| the physician may prescribe. | | | | of this, as of other conditions, through the body as a |
| Tuberculosis Of The Eye | | | | whole. Syphilis affecting the eye means syphilis |
| Among the most difficult of conditions that | | | | elsewhere in the body, and demands the kind of |
| confronted physicians in years past was the infection | | | | consistent and persistent treatment that is necessary |
| of the eye by tuberculosis. Tuberculosis and syphilis | | | | for this condition. The rheumatic condition with which |
| are two diseases that can affect any portion of the | | | | iritis is associated must be treated for the general |
| human body. Since the discovery of the sulfonamide | | | | rheumatic disturbance, with the detection, if possible, |
| and the antibiotic drugs, physicians have sought in | | | | of the focus of infection in the body, and with the |
| these new preparations new weapons of importance | | | | elimination of that focus when it is found. Other |
| in stopping the destruction of the eye that inevitably | | | | types of skeptic infection must also be controlled. |
| results from infection with the germ of tuberculosis. | | | | When there is diabetes the treatment of the |
| Almost everyone knows by this time that | | | | condition by diet and insulin, so as to control the |
| streptomycin has a special quality in attacking the | | | | diabetes throughout the body generally, is even more |
| germ of tuberculosis, but few people have realized | | | | important than the treatment of the condition as it |
| that certain preparations of sulfonamide drugs, such | | | | affects the eyes. Once the condition is healed, |
| as promizole, promin, and diasone, are also known to | | | | surgical operations of various kinds, including plastic |
| have capabilities in stopping this germ. Incidentally, | | | | operations, may be necessary to bring about normal |
| one phase of the most recent studies relates to | | | | restoration of the iris and thus to aid vision. |