Document Jvprr8NOg0Jdag5D9z6E6qqre

Industrial Hygiene Digest Aprii, , 9 64 362 Stippling of the Retina: A New Physical Sign in the Early Diagnosis of Lead Poisoning. N. Sonkin. New Engl. J. Med. 269. 779 ( <963). While lead poisoning does not occur nearly as frequently as in the past, it is still an important problem In the wire and battery industries. The classic physical findings and laboratory data such as a leadline in the mouth, chronic gastritis, encephalopathy and extensive basophilic stippling of erythrocytes occur only in the advanced stages. This article describes an early diagnostic sign, a grayish stipplhgof lead pigment that is circumferential about the optic disc. This stippling is readily seen with the ophthalmoscope, the lead particles appearing as glistening, discrete gray pigment in the retinal area around the disc. The described type of retinal pigmentation was found in 8 of 25 persons exposed to lead compounds in an industrial wire-manufacturing company. No lead line appeared in any of these patients, and basophilic erythrocyte stippling was rare. The only test of clinical assistance in the diagnosis of lead poisoning in this group, besides the retinal stippling, was the urinary excretion of abnormal quantities of lead. The retinal pigmentation is reversible within a period of months after discontinuation of exposure to lead. -- Can. Med. Assn. J. Absts. 363 Roentgenographic Changes in the Lungs of Children with Kerosense Poisoning. H. Rovsing and H. Wulf. Am. Rev. Resp. Dis. 89_,250 (Feb. 1964). The pathogenesis, symptoms, and signs seen in the cases of 92 children with kerosene poisoning are discussed. Chest radiography was performed in half the cases and revealed early and widespread pulmonary changes even where there were no or few clinical signs. Follow-up studes made on 60% of the patients showed that the long-term prognosis is favorable In cases of kerosene poisoning in children. The authors stress the importance of early and, where findings are positive, repeated radiography. - J.Am. Med. Assn. References & Reviews 364 Renal Biopsy Observations Following Recovery From Ethylene Glycol Nephrosis. P. Flanagan and J.H. Libcke. Am. J. Clin.Pathol. 41, 171-175 (Feb. 1964). This paper deals with an instance of acute ethylene glycol intoxication, treated by means of repeated peritoneal dialysis, and eventually resulting in apparent recovery of the patient. The histologic and histochemical findings are described, as observed by means of percutaneous renal biopsy performed on the sixteenth day. The convoluted tubular oxalosis is postulated as an intermediary between (1) the reported findings in earlier stages of ethylene glycol nephrosis, and (2) the end stage of oxalate injury in idiopathic oxalosis. There are 10 references. -- Authors' summary 365 A Rapid Method for the Determination of Delta Amino-Laevulinic Acid in Urine. S. Mehani. Brit. J. Ind. Med. 78-80 (Jan. 1964). A rapid colorimetric method, sensitive to 0.5 microgram, is described for the determination of delta amino-laevulinic acid in urine. The method consists of a modification of the picrate method of SHUSTER in which interferences by porphobilinogen is avoided by the use of an ion exchange resin. The method is found to give results which compare in accuracy with the longer standard method of MAUZERALL and GRANICK. -- Author's abst. 366 Poisoning in Industrial Workers by the Insecticide Aldrin. G. Kazantzis, A.I.G. McLaughlin, and Pamela F. Prior. Brit. J. Ind. Med. 1U, 46-51 (Jan. 1964). A 23-year-old worker in a formulating plant developed epileptiform convulsions after a short period of heavy exposure to the chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide aldrin. He was found to have a high concentration in body fat of hexachloro-epoxy-octahydrodimethanonaphthalene (HEOD), the principle metabolite of aldrin, and transient 03121419 18.