ACUTE COLITIS AND ULCERATIVE COLITIS
Authors: S. Phillips
Journal: BMJ (1907)

ACUTE COLITIS AND ULCERATIVE COLITIS.[ o ¶ I355 intensity of the neuritis forms no accurate guide to a knowledge of the nature or the size of the new growth, and its usefulness in localization is comparatively small.The condition known as albuminuric retinitis is of mcr.value in prognosis than from a diagnostic point of view, and this on account of two things: (1) The same clinical picture is sometimes present without the kidneys being affected, and (2) when it is present in renal disease there are usually other evidences of this affection.As regards life-prognosis, however, the detection of albuminuric retinitis is most important.Amongst the poorer classes this retinal complication means that the end of life is drawing very near, and comparatively few suivive more than a year.Among the well to do, where every care in diet, clothing, and attention to general hygiene can be exercised, the prognosis is not so bad, but even among these the probability of life does not exceed eighteen months to two years.The only exceptions to this unfavourable prognosis are when the retinitis accom- panies acute nephritis, such as the post scarlatinal, or when it occurs in connexion with the albuminuria of pregnancy.There is one other ophthalmoscopic change which I must mention, and its significance must be recognized more and more as the importance of the early detection and proper treatment of general arterio-sclerosis is accepted by our profession.In the retina we have the unique privilege of being able to observe with care and accuracy these minute arteries which are so often the first to tell the tale of vascular degeneration, and the succes- sive alterations in retinal vessels have now been followed and described with sufficient detail to enable us, in any given case, to give a shrewd guess concerning the stage at which the degeneration has arrived.That by this means we can predicate with an approach to certainty the con- dition of small arteries in other more vitally important tissues is no longer in dispute, and it is by this observation that we are often first able to diagnose granular kidney disease, and, at one late stage of the retinal arterial change, to anticipate with more than mere proba- bility the imminence of grave evidences of cerebral varcalar disease.I have purposely given no verbal description of these ophthalmoscopic changes, for I feel strongly that such details by themselves are apt to be misleading, and at best fall far short of the actual pictures presented by the disea ;es in -question.It is to instances of the affections mentioned that I would refer you, and I can assure you they are not uncommon.It may be, Gentlemen, that I have appeared to you in these remarks to have unduly magnified the Importance of one special branch of your work.I know that you have many points to think of and many facts to bear constantly in mind.My aim has bpen, not to add to these, but to present for your consideration a few clinical lessons gleaned from ophthalmology which may be of some ser- vice to you, and, if you think well of them, to induce you to take alvantage of the opportunities this ophthalmic department will undoubtedly afford.FOREIGN STUDENTS IN GERMAN UNIVERSITIES.-Thenumber of matriculated foreign students on the books of the universities of Germany during the last winter semester was 4,151, being 9.2 per cent. of the total number of students.These foreign students were distributed among the several universities as follows: Heidelberg, 1.189 (16.1 per cent.);Leipzig, 662 (14.8 per cent.):Jena, 186 (14.6 per cent.);Berlin, 1,189 (14.5 per cent.);134 (11.8 per cent.);Halle, 254 (11.3 per cent.);Freibure. 164(9.4 rner cent.) ; Gottingen, 160 (9.2 per cent.);Munich, 4'6 (8.9 p3r cent.);Giessen, 84 (7.7 per cent.);Strassburg. 96(5.8 per cent.) ; Greifswald, 43 (5.2 per cent.);Wtlrzburg, 67 (4.7 per cent.);Marburg, 60 (3.9 per cent.);TQbingen, 59 (3.9 per cent.);Breslau. 77(3.9 per cent.);Bjnn, 88 (2 9 per cent.);Erlangen, 28 (2.6 per eent.);Rostook, 13 (2 per cent.);Kiel, 11 (1.4 per cent.);Munster, 11 (0.7 per cent.).Of the foreigners, 1890 were from Russia.681 from Austria-Hungary, 341 from Switzerland, 144 from Great Britain, 139 from Bulgaria, 83 from Roumania, 61 from Servia, 58 from :France, 57 from Holland, 53 from Lu-emburg, 47 from Greece, 40 from Turkey, 33 from Italy, 32 from Swveden and Norway, 23 from Spain, 19 from Belgium, 9 from Portugal, 5 from Denmark, 1 from Montenegro.In addition to these America sent 302 students, Asia 113, Africa 13, and Australia 11. ACUTE COLITIS AND ULCERATIVE COLITIS.