[Ophthalmic tuberculosis, especially in Denmark].

The contagiousity of tuberculosis was demonstrated by Carl J. Salomonsen in 1877, injecting human caseous material in rabbit eyes, causing granulomatous iritis. It was five years before Robert Koch found the bacterium: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT). Marius Tscherning as professor emeritus from the University of Copenhagen, injected bovine MT and sanocrysin (Mølgaard's goldderivate) into rabbit eyes, causing corneal phlyctenules, but no ophthalmic reaction developed with only MT or sanocrysin alone (1928-29), not published). Emil Frandsen in 1959 examined 113 BCG vaccinated persons, who developed benign phlyctenules in 11%, 6-8 weeks after vaccination, and some cases of chronic iridocyclitis and chorioiditis. In 1158 non-vaccinated, some with serious tuberculosis, Frandsen found serious phlyctenules, chronic iridocyclitis, chorioiditis (especially disseminated) and periphlebitis, but not acute iridocyclitis of tuberculous origin. Phlyctenules and other TB-eye-diseases are described from Greenland 1926-76. Ophthalmic tuberculosis is still an important issue, also in Denmark today.