Keratomalacia and Cystic Fibrosis of the Pancreas

Abstract

The advances made in our knowledge of the deficiency diseases during the last few decades have made the subject of ever-increasing practical importance to all branches of medicine. In this regard, ophthalmology is no exception. Great credit is due the early clinical investiga­ tors who conceived the fundamental idea that certain diseased states were due to a lack in the diet, although at the time they were unable to identify the missing substance. Nevertheless, even without the benefit of chemistry, such conditions as scurvy, beri-beri, some forms of nightblindness, xerosis of the conjunctiva, and to some extent rickets were understood quite well. Great impetus has been given the subject during the past few decades by the splendid work of chemists and physiologists. They have made the sub­ ject more exact and have widened its scope tremendously, but anyone who be­ comes at all interested in the subject is sure to feel that much remains to be done. This is especially true in regard to the clinical and pathologic study of human beings who have vitamindeficiency diseases. A number of excel­ lent papers reporting the results of this form of investigation have appeared dur­ ing the last few years, but many of them appeared in various journals on pediatrics and may not have come to the attention of ophthalmologists in general. It is the purpose of this paper to review some­ what briefly a few of the more recent articles in which the pathologic condi­ tions found in vitamin-A deficiency have been reported. A case report will also be