A RARE DISEASE

Hokitika Guardian, 18 March 1932, Page 3

A RARE DISEASE

RETENTION OF IRON,

LONDON, February 2. A disease so rare that it baffled two doctors, and was only discovered after death with great difficulty by a Harley street pathologist,. was described at an inquest at Poplar on Ernest Edward Clarke, (59, a .totaliisator clerk, of Poplar.

The mother stated that her son complained of pains in the stomach, which 'rapidly grew worse. A doctor was called and her son was taken do Poplar Hospital. Dr R. O’Regan, of Wellington, now senior resident surgeon of Poplar Hospital, said that when Clarke, was ad mitted his symptoms were those of some acute abdominal catastrophe. An operation, however, revealed nothing, and he died. He had made a post-mortem examination, but found nothing adequate to account for the cause of death. I)r Temple Grey, pathologist, of Harley .street, tsa.id .he had made a second post-mortem examination, which •revealed 'that the cause, of death was haemochromatosis, an extremely rare disease of metabolism. The cause was unknown, and no cure was known either. The disease was due to some toxin elaborated by the liver which led to the retention in the body of large quantities of iron. 1 nese vein disposed in various organs, ultimately interfering with their function. Tn the case there was even some in the heart. “It used to be called 'bronze diabetes, but this name was unfortunate, as i! occurred without bronze or diabetes, said the doctor. “It was discovered in 1898, .and is so rare that when a case occurs one has forgotten about tin last.”

The .symptoms were strongly sugg : tivo of an actiite condition of the abdomen, and the disease could not have been diagnosed before death. The Coroner recorded a verdict ol death from natural causes.