Small-intestinal and Gastric Abnormalities in Ulcerative Colitis.

RetLinal Phototherapy-Ingram et al. MEDICAL JOURNAL 827 damage to the tissues. The application of this form of therapy by an ophthalmoscope produces new technical problems, but when these are adequately solved it could lead to a wider use of phototherapy. The history of laser development is reviewed very briefly. The laser ophthalmoscope designed in Newcastle upon Tyne is described. The present model is very similar, both in size and in weight, to a standard battery-operated ophthalmoscope. The ruby crystal is contained in the handle, which is connected to the power pack by a flexible lead. Preliminary clinical experiments which were carried out on rabbits are described and the results are compared with those obtained in the limited number of human beings so far treated with the instrument. The differences between laser lesions, diathermy lesions, and lesions produced by the Zeiss xenon arc coagulator are discussed. The use of various lasers in industry are referred to briefly, and some effects of high doses on rabbits' eyes are shown to illustrate possible hazards which may be encountered as the use of lasers becomes more widespread. The histology of therapeutic laser lesions is described and a brief reference is made to some lesions produced by excessive dosage. We wish to acknowledge the help we have received from Professor A. G. Heppleston and his staff, of the department of pathology. We also wish to record our gratitude to Dr. H. Rose, of the International Research and Development Company, Limited, for his enthusiastic collaboration, and to Mr. W. Hetherington for all his help with the practical work of constructing the laser. We are also indebted to Thermal Syndicate Limited, Wallsend on Tyne, for supplying the laser crystals, and to Messrs. Keeler Limited, of London, for their collaboration in producing the ophthalmosocope. In a previous article (Salem et al., 1964) we reported the results of a pilot study of the state of the small intestine and stomach in ulcerative colitis. It was found that during an actual attack of ulcerative colitis the small-intestinal mucosa frequently showed villous abnormalities in biopsy specimens and the faecal fat excretion was often abnormally high; and, correspondingly, the stomach often showed superficial gastritis. Among the patients studied in remission the stomach and small intestine were usually normal as judged by these same criteria. Since then the study has been considerably enlarged. First, a bigger group of patients with ulcerative colitis has …