Abnormalities accompanying some congenital eye diseases.

Abstract

It is well known that the congenital eye diseases are often accompanied by various abnormalities in other parts of the body. However, few observations have been made on the meaning of this fact or on the relation to the original diseases. Expecting to find out some developmental relationship between the appearance of these abnormalities and congenital diseases by observing many cases, the author examined 511 students of seven blind schools in Tokai district for their abnormal traits (_??_ 331, _??_ 180).1) Comparison of the abnormalities in the congenital blind with those in the acuired blind: qThe abnormalities of the head form, countenance, ear, lip, palate, foot, fingers and toes were found with statistical significance more frequently in the congenital blind than in the acquired. Especially as to the abnormalities of the head form and limbs the difference was remarkable.2) A bnormalities accompanying each disease:In the cases of microphthalmia many abnormalities were seen regarding head form, countenance, ear, lip, palate and finger: they were generally concentrated in the headregion and some cases showed fissure formation. In cases of congenital retinal diseases short stature, obesity hypoplasia of genital organs, deformity of finger and cleft-palatewere frequently observed. Since these signs resemble the so-called diencephalonsyndrome, this fact suggests that the congenital retinal diseases as well as Laurence-Biedrp syndrome have close connections with the diencephalon. Besides, it was found that this condition is often associated with the fissure formation such as cleft-palate, an interesting fact to be studied from the embryological standpoint, to which, due attention has not been paid.3) The relation between degenerative signs of body and mental ability:The examined were classified into two groups, superior and inferior, according to their school records, and the number of the recognized degenerative signs in each group were compared. But the comparison cannot claim much significance because the degenerative signs are in itself rare to occur. Nevertheless, the number of the degenerative signs per student in the group I was evidently larger than that of group S.4) The comparison of degree of constitutional growth in the congenital and acquired blind:The disturbance of the growth in length' and breadth was more remarkable in thecongenital blind than in the acquired. The disturbance in length was most frequently observed common to both groups. As to the Rohrer's index no difference was seen between the two groups, while their figures were larger than those of the normal tudents.5) Abnormalities associated with the cleft-palate, congenital pectoralis defect and lingua plicata:Uvula bifida was frequently seen, associated with insufficiency of suture as well as asymmetry at cranium, coloboma of the iris and syndactyly. In congenital pectoralis defect, deformities of muscles and bones on the chest, i. e. loose shoulder, bending. of spine, deformity of thorax etc. were often observed.6) Blind students due to consanguineous marriage of parents:The cases numbered 32, (6.26%). Of these the pigment degeneration was seen mostfrequently. Some students in this were low in school records, and, degenerative signs. were evidently more often observed in this group than the other.Resume: it is notable that the congenital eye diseases are of ten associated with deformities of head form and limbs and the disturbance of somatic growth especially in length. These abnormalities presumably are not accidental coincidence. They bought to be further studied with embryological correlation in view