Isr Med Assoc J
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Review Historical Article
The Eye Color Experiment: From Berlin to Auschwitz and Back.
In an effort to alter eye color during World War II, devout Nazi researcher Karin Magnussen had adrenaline eye drops administered to inmates at the concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. A Sinti family, with a high prevalence of heterochromia iridis, was forced to participate in this study. Members of this family, as well as other victims, were later killed and had their eyes enucleated and sent to Magnussen for examination. Magnussen articulated the findings of these events in a manuscript that has never been published. The author is the first ophthalmologist to review this manuscript. The generation who experienced the atrocities of World War II will soon be gone and awareness of what happened during this tragic chapter of world history is fading. ⋯ The effort to change eye color was doomed to fail from the beginning because there was a probable diagnosis of Waardenburg syndrome. Extinction of humans for ophthalmological research is an insane act beyond imagination. For the sake of these victims, and for the generations who still feel their pain, it is imperative to tell their stories.
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Solar urticaria (SU) is a rare and disabling photodermatosis. SU typically manifests as urticarial wheals and erythema appearing shortly after sun exposure. SU is often initially diagnosed clinically with subsequent confirmation through photoprovocation tests. Early diagnosis is important for correct management of patients. ⋯ Erythema without urticaria can be the primary manifestation of SU, especially in countries with sunny climates where natural skin hardening is common. Such cases require a high index of suspicion for SU and highlight the importance of photoprovocation testing to confirm the diagnosis.
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Review Case Reports
Immune Thrombocytopenia Secondary to Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Children
Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder of variable origin that results in bleeding and decreased platelet count. Autoimmune abnormalities have been described in patients with malignancies including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma but are rarely described in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma. ⋯ The identification of the clinical presentation of ITP as a possible presentation of Hodgkin's lymphoma is important to facilitate timely diagnosis and management.