A Study of Pneumonia in Infancy and Childhood with Special Reference to the Pathology

Somerville, Olive M (1928) A Study of Pneumonia in Infancy and Childhood with Special Reference to the Pathology. MD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

1. An analysis was made from the records of 2,475 clinical cases and 520 post-mortem cases of pneumonia in children below twelve years of age, and 65 of these were examined by histological methods (see previous paper). 2. Broncho-pneumonia was the lesion most often found in the first three years of life, hut its incidence diminished from year to year; after three years it became infrequent as a primary disease and was then usually atypical in symptoms and morbid appearances. 3. Lobar pneumonia very rarely occurred till after the third year, though two doubtful cases in the post-mortem series we re recorded. After three years it became the most frequent type, though often combined with lobular lesions. 4. Lobar pneumonia in it self was seldom fatal, but death occurred as a result of complications such as empyema and meningitis. The mortality from broncho-pneumonia, on the other hand, was high, especially so in infants; influenzal and secondary forms were the most fatal. 5. Broncho-pneumonia involved both lungs in the majority/ majority of cases, but was usually most advanced in the lower lobes posteriorly. In lobar pneumonia the right lung and upper lobe were the commonest sites, the minority showing bilateral lesions. 6. Pleurisy in the form of a fibrinous exudate was extremely common over surface areas of consolidation; a serous effusion, however, was very rare. 7. Of associated lesions, empyema, otitis media, pericarditis and meningitis were the most frequent. Nephritis, pyelitis, cerebral sinus thrombosis, tuberculosis, bronchiectasis, peritonitis, jaundice, encephalitis, ulcerative endocarditis, fibrosis of lungs occurred in a few cases.

• Item Type: Thesis (MD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Medicine, Pathology, Epidemiology
• Date of Award: 1928
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1928-80635
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 30 Jan 2024 14:44
• Last Modified: 30 Jan 2024 14:44
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/80635