214 INANITION AND MALNUTRITION 



mass, which under the microscope shows an amorphous structure with blood 

 capillaries (usually empty). In fasting dogs, Falck ('75) found the conjunctiva 

 inflammed; the cornea cloudy and opaque; the eyeball white, moist and soft; 

 the eye-muscles greatly atrophied; and the orbital fat reduced or absent. 



Von Bechterew ('95) observed that the opening of the eyelids is delayed in 

 newborn puppies and kittens subjected to inanition. Similarly Stewart 

 ('18), in albino rats underfed from birth, noted that the opening of the eyelids 

 is somewhat delayed in time, but nevertheless appears at a lower body weight 

 than in the normal controls. 



Bich ('95) made an extensive study of the visual apparatus, especially of the 

 retina, in 24 dogs during inanition, with or without water (no difference noted). 

 He described the conjunctiva as pale and frequently dry; the cornea transparent 

 and shiny; the pupil usually dilated, sometimes contracted; the orbital fat 

 almost disappeared. He figured and described a series of progressive retinal 

 changes, beginning when the dogs have lost about 20 per cent in body weight. 

 Histologically the ganglion cells show at first cloudy swelling and well-defined 

 pericellular spaces; later a cytoplasmic vacuolation. The normal structure may 

 be recovered upon refeeding, except in extreme stages, when recovery may be 

 delayed, even when the body weight is restored to normal. Aside from the 

 ganglion cells, all other elements of the retina during inanition appear abnor- 

 mally separated by a condition of edema. 



Lodato ('98, '98a) likewise made a careful study of the ocular changes in 8 

 dogs subjected to inanition, with or without water, for 11-30 days, with vari- 

 ous methods of fixation and staining. No histological differences were found 

 between those with and those without water; but the latter lived longer and, 

 although vision is conserved, showed more clearly certain ophthalmoscopic 

 changes, including retardation of pupillary reflex, constriction of retinal arteries, 

 and dilation of veins. 



Histologically the sclera and cornea in these dogs show no change, excepting 

 a partial loss of the epithelium behind Descemet's membrane. The iris appears 

 thin and anemic, with constricted vessels; the anterior layer of epithelium very 

 deficient; muscle cells and nuclei, also the ciliary muscle, stain faintly. The 

 cells covering the ciliary processes also present cloudy swelling with poorly 

 staining nuclei; numerous free pigment granules appear to have migrated from 

 the pigment cells of the ciliary processes. The choroid and vessels appear 

 atrophic, especially peripherally; less so toward the optic papilla. The optic 

 nerve shows changes of doubtful significance, but the ciliary nerve presents 

 marked atrophic degeneration by the Weigert-Pal method. 



The retinal vessels are constricted, with dilated perivascular spaces, espe- 

 cially in the vessels of the papilla. The pigmented epithelial cells of the retina 

 are swollen, with granular cytoplasm containing few pigment granules. No 

 apparent change occurs in the rods and cones. By Nissl's method, the amacrine 

 cells show chromatolysis. The ganglionic and nerve fiber layers appear moder- 

 ately edemic. The ganglion cells appear swollen, with poorly staining nuclei 

 and widened pericellular spaces. Nissl's stain shows the cytoplasm affected 

 with a variable degree of chromatolysis, vacuolation and degeneration. The 



