J. E. Adler and J. IVFIntosh 
241 
Internal Ear. The petrous portion of the temporal bone containing the 
middle and internal auditory apparatus was removed entire and decalcified. The 
internal ear contained no pigment in the mesoblastic cells of the perilymphatic 
spaces. 
The Suprarenal Gland. The medulla and the cortex appeared to be of the 
usual proportions ; no brown granules were to be observed in those cells of the 
cortex which are usually found to contain pigment in adult life. 
The Skin. Except for the absence of pigment, the only noticeable feature seen 
in sections of the skin was the non-granular appearance of the rete mucosum. 
The Hair contained no pigment ; after the hairs were cleared in xylol they 
became quite transparent, and could be seen only with considerable difficulty. 
In conclusion, one must say that the case described above is one of complete 
albinism, on account of the complete absence of any melanin pigment in those 
structures which normally contain it. 
This child, though it might also be described in Professor Karl Pearson's 
terminology as an internal albino, does not solve the question as to whether 
internal albinism exists in adult albinos, because practically no pigment exists in 
any part of the brain of a child before the sixth month of life (Marinesco (7)). 
The same is also true for those glands, such as the suprarenal, which contain 
pigment in adult life (Koelliker (5)). 
There was no evidence of any maldevelopment or mental feebleness in any 
member of the family, such as has been reported in certain albinotic stocks. But 
though there is undoubted proof that in certain instances deficiency of pigment 
does go along with such conditions, we have no reason to suppose that there is a 
constant relation between them. 
In all probability this child, had it lived, would have remained a complete 
albino even in spite of the fact that the colour of the iris in all infants darkens 
considerably during the first year of life, because it is very unlikely that pigmenta- 
tion would occur after so long a period of complete absence, namely, over 10 months, 
• as melanin pigment, according to Koelliker (4), makes its appearance in the retina 
towards the fourth week of intra-uterine life. The specimens kindly lent by 
Dr Low (6) showed distinct pigment in the retina at this period : see Plate I. 
Where the albinism entered this family is not at all clear ; if the condition is 
not a sport it is most likely that the condition was handed down from the 
(paternal) grand-parents, as the parents of the child were cousins. From a 
Mendelian view both parents might be described as caiTying recessive albinism, 
but we have really no evidence from this single case to support this view. 
