CATARACT FORMATION IN THE HUMAN EMBRYO AFTER RUBELLA

Abstract

BILATERAL cataract formation in an 11 week embryo with a history of rubella in the mother during the eighth week of pregnancy is of sufficient interest to warrant publication. Reese¹ (1944) recorded the first observation in the United States of congenital cataract formation in infants born of mothers who had rubella in the early part of pregnancy. The original description of this condition was made by Gregg² and by Swan and his co-workers.³ An epidemic of rubella in Australia aroused their attention to the prevalence of this condition. Since the aforementioned reports, many cases have been recorded, so that the process is now well recognized. Besides cataract formation, the infants have other defects: intolerance to atropine; inability to dilate the pupil; a high incidence of susceptibility to pneumonia, with high fever; mental deficiency, and microcephaly. Deaf-mutism has also been reported fairly frequently. The children are small, ill