Professional paper
A case of generalized argyria
N. Milić
; Odjel za interne bolesti, Bolnica »Dr. M. Stojanovića«, Zagreb
Abstract
A case of generalized argyria in a woman aged 84 is described. She took 10-15 years ago some stomach-drops (probably silver nitrate). From that time the skin in her face and on her hands began to darken. The skin of her head and hands is now dark bluish-grey with metallic shine. The skin on the forehead, scalp, ears, cheeks and neck is particularly dark. The remaining parts of the skin show a dirty blue-greyish discoloration but this change in the colour of the skin is much less pronounced. On the forearms and hands there are a few brighter scars up to 1/2 cm in size, originating from injuries at work which have not changed in colour. The mucous membrane of the mouth cavity is bluish-grey. The conjuctiva of the eyelids as well as bulbar conjuctiva are slate pale. An examination with the slit-lamp has revealed that granules of the pigment are located especially in the cornea and mostly close to Descemet's membrane and in the lens. In the skin, granules of the pigment are located in the upper layers of the corium and in the membrana propria of the sweat glands. In dark field illumination brilliantly refractile granules of pigment are also visible in the same places. By spectrographic analysis of a specimen of the skin only silver was found.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
186513
URI
Publication date:
19.9.1955.
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