H. S. Stannus 
335 
will come under Pearson's Class (I) is very small, and this type is not found in 
Nyasaland at all events. He may on the other hand be referring to the presence 
of a "red reflex" obtained during ophthalmoscopical examination *. 
When examined with artificial light and ophthalmoscopic mirror, all those of 
my cases approaching complete albinism show a "red reflex," differing from the 
dull red grey in the normal native in being brighter and devoid of the element 
of grey to a variable extent ; and in some the brightness being greater than 
in the ordinary European, simulating that in a European albino. 
The reason of the absence of light reflex (red pupil) in daylight is I believe 
due to the impediment to sufficient light entry caused by pigment on the posterior 
surface of the iris as much as to light absorption by pigment in the choroid. 
In all my cases approaching the condition of complete albinism the irides are 
of a liquid steel blue grey colour, in some associated with a peripupillary ring of 
orange colour. 
This I find corresponds to the descriptions given by observers in other parts of 
Africa whose writings bear the impress of being the result of careful observation. 
I have considered these points at some length as I do not feel that the working 
classification given by Pearson clearly defines itself. 
In Class (III) what does "not red pupils" mean? Does it mean the pupil is 
not red in the sense that the white rat's is, or does the expression refer to cases in 
which no red reflex can be obtained with artificial light ? 
In which class are to be placed cases which though they give this red reflex, 
have blue irides, in (I) or (III) ? 
The brightness of the red reflex varies very considerably, and I shall therefore 
make out one class which includes all those cases with white skin, white and 
yellow white hair, pale blue grey irides which give with artificial illumination a 
red reflex of any degree as opposed to a grey one. I shall also include in the 
same group as a sub-class those albinos with the above characteristics in whom, 
in addition, there have developed spots of pigmentation, so called Spotted or 
Freckled Albinos ; I do this because the condition is not uncommonly found in the 
albinos of this country beyond the age of infancy. 
I think it may be of use to make a group under Class (IV), that is, cases with 
yellow eyes but white skin. 
* [I think Dr Stannus is incorrect at this point, the red reflex from negro albino eyes was noted in a 
number of eases even before the invention of the ophthalmoscope and has frequently been noted since 
by trained observers not using artificial light. Our albino dogs have eyes almost identical for amount 
of pigment with those of the albino negro, and in three cases out of four the observer thinks they 
have dark pupils, on the fourth occasion the red reflex is caught because the incidence of ordinary light 
is suitable. If four or five albino dogs are in a room together and they are then excited, any observer 
sees the reflex at all turns. My classification was, of course, a broad one but I think a serviceable one 
as it roughly graded the albino negro into two classes according to the intensity of ocular pigmentation, 
i.e. by manifest or non-manifest red reflex, observable by the traveller without apparatus. Ed.] 
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