Degeneratio corneae nivalis. Snow-crystal degeneration.

Abstract

Report of an aged woman in whose corneal stroma point and snow crystal-like, ivory-white, opaque granules developed with calcium granules localized under the conjunctiva. The patient suffered further of general arthrosis and osteopoikilosis in the proximal epiphysis of the femur, demonstrable by X-ray examination. The authors compare the syndrome of their patient with the artificially induced calcification syndrome of rats, which was developed by H. Selye et al, after the administration of isoproterenol, 5-hydroxitriptamin, and dihydrotachysterol to the animals. All three compounds inducing the artificial calcification syndrome, or similar ones, are also normally present in the organism. Their application in the described order causes the abnormal calcification of the connective tissues, probably by the metabolic disturbance of the mucopolysaccharides.